The Superman Trailer Reveals Nathan Fillion As DC's Angriest Superhero

The first trailer for James Gunn's "Superman" is here, but more heroes than David Corenswet's Man of Steel appear. After all, this movie is launching the new silver screen DC Universe. We'd known from previous casting news which heroes would be appearing in "Superman," and the trailer showed some of them in costume. Among them is Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, one of the many heroes named Green Lantern.

Fillion is a friend of director James Gunn who often appears in his movies. (He even previously appeared in Gunn's earlier DC Universe as T.D.K. in "The Suicide Squad," read /Film's interview with him about that experience here.) No surprise the actor has a supporting part in "Superman," but Fillion as a Green Lantern is a casting choice that has a lot of history.

In the early 2000s, Nathan Fillion was a popular choice to play Hal Jordan in a "Green Lantern" film; with people even making fanmade trailers with Fillion in the role. Of course, the actual "Green Lantern" film (released in 2011) starred Ryan Reynolds as Hal instead. This fancasting did help Fillion voice Hal Jordan in several animated DC films, though, beginning with "Green Lantern: Emerald Knights," an anthology released alongside the live-action film as a tie-in.

Now, Guy Gardner is usually a supporting character or part of an ensemble. He's also typically the B-Lantern compared to Hal Jordan or John Stewart (co-leads of the upcoming "Lanterns" TV show). But he still has a storied comic history. Guy Gardner is famous not just for his ginger bowl cut and unique costume (a sleeveless green leather jacket, compared to the bodysuits of other Lanterns) but also for his short temper and obnoxiousness. 

While Fillion made plenty swoon as Captain Mal Reynolds on "Firefly" (the role that inspired all those Hal Jordan fancasts), the Guy Gardner pick makes a ton of sense. Fillion excels at playing funny jackasses and Gunn, who's been working with him for a long time, definitely understands that.

Guy Gardner debuted in 1968's "Green Lantern" #59, nine years after the first appearance of Hal Jordan. Despite that long gap, they were actually made the same creative team: writer John Broome and artist Gil Kane, architects of the Silver Age Green Lantern stories.

The debut of Guy is a story called "The Other Green Lantern," where Hal Jordan watches a video simulation of what would have happened if the dying Lantern Abin Sur hadn't given his ring to Hal. In this alternate timeline, Guy Gardner becomes Earth's Green Lantern instead and has the same adventures Hal did. Guy ultimately dies himself, and then Hal receives the ring. Hal muses that fate destined him to be a Green Lantern — right before he meets the real Guy Gardner.

This initial Guy is basically a copy of Hal Jordan, only with red hair. He even wears the same costume and his name belies his paper thinness (his first name is literally Guy, and it's alliterative like a classic superhero name). It was only in the '80s, thanks to writer Steve Englehart and Joe Staton's run on "Green Lantern," that the Guy Gardner we know came about.

They not only turned Guy Gardner into a full-time Green Lantern (starting from issue #195), but they remade him into the angry, jingoistic, and punchable hero fans now know and love. Conceived by Englehart and Staton as a parody of the all-American jarhead, the reimagined Guy worshipped Saint Ronnie and fancied himself like Sylvester Stallone as Rambo ("Rambo III" specifically). In "Green Lantern Corps" #210, Guy even tries to invade the Soviet Union.

DC Comics

In the 40 years since, Guy Gardner has become shorthand for "a-hole" in the DC Universe. When Batman is documenting his contingency plans should any of his Justice League teammates go rogue (see: "JLA: Tower of Babel" by Mark Waid and Howard Porter), he half-jokes he should test out the Green Lantern plan on Guy. In the "Young Justice" episode "Agendas," the Justice League is considering new members. Both Hal Jordan and John Stewart quite insistently say no to Guy Gardner's nomination.

Guy's actual screentime has done little to do this reputation either.

Guy Gardner was set to be a lead of "Lanterns" at one point, played by Finn Wittrock and co-starring with Jeremy Irvine as another Green Lantern, Alan Scott. The reshuffling of DC Studios under James Gunn and Peter Safran put this take on the show out to pasture, but I think I know why Gunn still wants to use Guy Gardner.

James Gunn has cited artist Kevin Maguire as an influence on the DCU; Maguire's most famous DC work is also Guy Gardner's most-remembered role. Namely, the 1980s run on "Justice League" by Maguire and writers J.M. DeMatteis & Keith Giffen (commonly known as "Justice League International"). 

When "Justice League International" launched, the creative team couldn't use most of DC's A-list heroes (except for Batman). That meant a team made of mostly B and C-stringers: Guy Gardner, Black Canary, Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel, Mister Miracle, Doctor Fate, Blue Beetle, Doctor Light, and soon Booster Gold and Fire & Ice. Yet, it worked thanks to strong characterization and comedy. (For instance, this is the run where Martian Manhunter gets addicted to Oreos.)

Guy Gardner is one of the keystone characters of this run. He's front and center on Maguire's now-famous cover of issue #1, and the character who first appears within the issue. Throughout the run, he often chafes against the stodgy Batman (in issue #5, Guy challenges Batman to a brawl and gets knocked out with one punch) and eventually hooks up with Ice.

Gunn's "Superman" introduces not only Fillion as Guy, but also Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, the JLI's civilian benefactor. Why is Gunn pulling from this "Justice League" run? Easy, it's his kind of superhero story. Giffen, DeMatteis, and Maguire took a team of obscure characters and spun gold, mixing a goofy tone with sincere heart. This is exactly what Gunn did with "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "The Suicide Squad."

"Justice League International" is the blueprint for Gunn's superhero career, so of course its stars — Guy Gardner included — will have a big part to play in the DC Universe as told by James Gunn.

"Superman" opens in theaters on July 11, 2025.