María Gabriela de Faría plays the villain in James Gunn’s superhero movie.
Image via Shutterstock
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The Big Picture
- The new set photos reveal the full costume of the villain for James Gunn’s
Superman
movie. - María Gabriela de Faría looks fierce as The Engineer in a black leather outfit.
- Cameras started rolling last month for the superhero flick, set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.
The big bad of James Gunn‘s Superman has been unveiled in full costume thanks to new set photos shared today by Just Jared. María Gabriela de Faría, who was cast as Angela Spica, aka The Engineer, back in November 2023, is shown looking fierce with a black leather outfit and umbrella while filming the DCU’s first feature. She appears to be having a blast on set too, with many of the photos showing her with all smiles while strapped to a harness and preparing to shoot a big scene. Cameras began rolling last month as the hotly-anticipated superhero flick aims to arrive in theaters on July 11, 2025.
Faría’s appearance is a tad different than what comic readers may remember or what viewers may ultimately see on screen with Spica. A WildStorm comics character brought under the DC banner, The Engineer is typically portrayed entirely covered in liquid metal, which gives her immense power due to the nanotechnology running through her veins. It’s possible that Gunn’s film will show Spica’s origins in Superman, exploring how she took up the mantle as the second Engineer and eventually became the nanite-fueled powerhouse seen on the page. Whatever the case, she’s set to be an imposing new threat for David Corenswet‘s Man of Steel.
The inclusion of The Engineer marks the beginning of something much bigger for both Faría and the DCU. Joining Superman is a huge breakthrough for the actress, whose previous roles included Syfy’s Deadly Class and Fox’s Animal Control. She’s now set to play a much larger role in the new DCU as Superman will lead into a movie starring The Authority. Spica is a part of the misfit superhero team which focuses on saving the day regardless of the collateral damage their efforts caused, meaning Faría is sure to get a lot of screentime going forward. Their implementation will create a harder edge for this new cinematic universe and open up plenty of possibilities for where Gunn and Peter Safran can go in the future.
What Will Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Be About?
Image via DC Comics
For Superman, Gunn is pulling from a wide range of influences stemming back to the Man of Steel’s 1939 original comic book run. At its heart, the story is still very focused on Clark Kent and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) as Clark tries to balance a career in journalism at the Daily Planet and being Earth’s greatest defender. This won’t be an origin story, but it will show a younger, optimistic Clark and explore all sides of him as he faces opposition from a team of villains including not only the Engineer but his old nemesis Lex Luthor, played by a bald and beautiful Nicholas Hoult. The film will also be a window into other parts of the DCU, with the Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) set to appear as established heroes in this universe.
Superman flies into theaters on July 11, 2025. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the film as cameras continue to roll and check out our guide here for everything we know so far.
Superman (2025)
Follows the titular superhero as he reconciles his heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way in a world that views kindness as old-fashioned.
Release Date July 11, 2025
Studio DC Studios
