Fans have transcribed the newspaper article featured in the first ‘Superman’ trailer, confirming that the mysterious villain is not Gorilla Grodd or Superman causing an international incident.
The article, penned by Clark Kent for the Daily Planet, reveals that the villain is the “Hammer of Boravia,” an entirely different comic book character.
“Metropolis was targeted by a superpowered mystery man on Sunday, resulting in over 20 million dollars in damage to the city,” the article reads, as transcribed by @DCU_Updates. “The self-titled ‘Hammer of Boravia’ attacked Downtown Metropolis claiming it was retribution for the recent political interventions in Boravia by Superman.”
“This vengeful expedition turned into a terrorist assault on American soil, hospitalizing 22 Metropolis citizens,” it continues. “Boravia has been the source of numerous headlines worldwide in recent weeks as it invaded its neighboring country Jarhanpur, only for the brief war to be swiftly ended by Superman.”
“The President of Boravia, Vasil Glarkos, maintains the Hammer of Boravia is not a representative of the national government, but rather an independent vigilante.”
Speculation is already circulating online about the identity of the mystery villain, with popular theories pointing to characters such as Adversary and Ultra-Humanite.
The article also notes the destruction of a Chocos building caused by “an ocular laser strike” and highlights Metropolis citizens’ frustration over rising taxes to cover the damages caused by “super-powered individuals and extraterrestrials.”
Superman himself is quoted addressing the international incident. “When addressing the political ramifications of his actions, Superman said, ‘While critics thousands of miles away from this conflict continue to argue if what I did was right or wrong, the bottom line is people’s lives were threatened. I had to act.'”
The movie is set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.
