Recent set photos of James Gunn’s Superman (2025) have brought up speculations of DC’s Justice League International to show up in the film. The photos seemingly tease that Sean Gunn’s Maxwell Lord will use his LordTech resources to create the Justice League International team from the comics. But, how does the squad fit into the plot of the Superman movie?
Here are all the available details regarding the fate of the metahuman team-up in James Gunn’s forthcoming venture.
Is Sean Gunn’s Maxwell Lord creating the Justice League International in Superman?
As per the Ohio-based set photos, procured by Clevelanddotcom and MultiverseDC, it is speculated that the Justice League International (JLI) would assemble in Superman’s next big-screen outing. However, the makers have yet to publically confirm that.
Theories regarding the team-up of the aforementioned second-string heroes began to take shape when recent filming snippets included a nod to Maxwell Lord. In the above photos, Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, and Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific can be seen sporting their superhero costumes. Upon a closer look, eagle-eyed fans were quick to notice the presence of a LordTech logo on their super-suits.
Interestingly, LordTech is an organization owned by the billionaire businessman Maxwell Lord in Gunn’s DC universe. So, the LordTech logo led many fans to theorize that the affluent Maxwell Lord is likely assembling these superheroes and funding their team using his wealth in the 2025 movie.
This brings up what happened in the comics where Lord recruited the Justice League International team as well. In his initial appearances, the business magnate harbored a desire to formulate a marketable team of quirky heroes from all around the globe. His efforts directly led to the establishment of the Justice League International, featuring warriors such as Rocket Red and Fire.
Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern was one of the founding members of the team. Booster Gold also later joined the team. So, with Guy Gardner sporting the LordTech logo in particular, it is likely that he and Maxwell Lord will follow this narrative in the film along with Mr. Terrific, Hawkgirl, and possibly even Superman.
Will Superman join Maxwell Lord’s Justice League International?
At the moment of writing, it is unknown if Superman will enlist for Lord’s Justice League International in the movie. But seeing him alongside other DC heroes could mean that he becomes a part of the JL International temporarily at least.
Little is known regarding the plot of James Gunn’s Superman entry and how it opens up his DC Universe. However, DC Studios have revealed that the movie would follow Superman’s quest to find balance between his Kryptonian lineage and human upbringing.
But, the cunning businessman’s involvement could also point towards something more sinister. The LordTech logo on the costumes of Gardner, Mr. Terrific, and Hawkgirl hints that the group might be following Lord’s orders. This could put them on the path of the all-righteous Superman, potentially resulting in a duel.
Having said that, all such theories are mere speculations at the moment, due to a lack of extensive official plot information.
Will Justice League International’s Guy Gardner, Mr. Terrific, and Hawkgirl die?
The exact fate of Justice League International in the Superman movie is currently unknown. But, the demise of one or multiple newly introduced superheroes could be possible, considering James Gunn’s past projects.
The filmmaker infamously killed off numerous characters at the beginning of The Suicide Squad. With Lord’s squad majorly comprising B-list DC characters, they could be expendable for the overall narrative of the DCU. Fans could also expect certain heroes to die quite early in Superman to raise the stakes of the plot and shock value for the fans.
Furthermore, the proposed idea of on-screen deaths of some JLI members could ultimately make way for the formation of the original Justice League team with Superman, Batman, Supergirl, and other big guns of the DCU who are confirmed to enter with future films.
