'Superman' filming took over Ohio last summer. Look back at it all here

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's Superman. In Ohio!

The highly-anticipated "Superman" movie comes to theaters July 11. The new $225-million film featuring David Corenswet as the beloved protagonist was directed by DC Studios CEO James Gunn, who is also responsible for blockbuster hits "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "The Suicide Squad."

Superman carries several ties to Ohio, starting with Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who created the character in 1933 while attending Glenville High School in Cleveland. Cincinnati's Union Terminal, which now houses the Cincinnati Museum Center, was also the inspiration for the Hall of Justice, the hero headquarters of the Justice League.

Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and David Corenswet as Superman in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Superman."

Catching up on all of Superman's Ohio lore ahead of the new movie? Here's a roundup of all our previous reporting about the filming of "Superman" in the Buckeye state.

'Superman' film receives Ohio tax credits under codename 'Genesis'

In February 2024, speculation about "Superman" filming in Ohio amped up when a movie called “Genesis” was awarded more than $11 million in tax credits from Ohio to film in Cincinnati and Cleveland, according to a press release.

Film buffs and DC Comic fans theorized that “Genesis” was a working title for what was then called “Superman: Legacy" (the movie was later renamed to just "Superman"). The "Genesis" tax credit application, previously obtained by The Enquirer from the Ohio Department of Development, confirmed it had the same director, producer and starring cast as the "Superman" film.

Daily Planet sports guy Steve Lombard (Beck Bennett, left) lobs a playful jab at Clark Kent (David Corenswet) in "Superman."

Then, a June 2024 Facebook post from Angela Boehm Casting, a Cleveland-based casting agency, said "Genesis" was searching for "real police officers to be extras." 

According to the casting sign-up form, filming in Cincinnati and Cleveland was set to take place between June 17 and July 18, 2024. A separate Google Docs form said filming for police extras in Cincinnati would take place June 24 and 28, as well as July 3, 8 and 18, aligning with when the Cincinnati Museum Center was closed for a private event.

David Corenswet, 'Superman' actor, spotted in costume in Cleveland

David Corenswet, the actor cast to portray the Man of Steel, was spotted in costume while filming in Cleveland in June last year. There, photos circulated online of the Metropolis flag, the fictional city made famous by DC Comics, raised beside what appeared to be the colonial-blue Delaware flag, the Delaware News Journal reported.

A recent June 15 report from TheDirect.com, an independent entertainment news outlet, states the Daily Planet, the fictional newspaper where Lois Lane and Clark Kent work, is indeed set in Delaware in the 2025 film.

Metropolis police cars, boulders and a military tank were also spotted amid the movie's filming in Cleveland last summer. Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Wendall Pierce as Perry White appeared in the Cleveland area during the same time.

'Superman' movie crews, Metropolis flag spotted in Cincinnati

After speculation about whether the new "Superman" film really was shooting in Cincinnati, The Enquirer spotted film crews setting up at the Cincinnati Museum Center starting July 17 last year.

That morning, crews set up outside the Museum Center and signs that read "to set" were posted around the building. There were also trucks with S&K Pictures, Inc. labels on the side. S&K Pictures shares an address with Warner Bros., which produced the movie.

An Enquirer reporter also spotted various trailers and what appeared to be light fixtures around the building.

The next day on July 18, day two of filming, a city of Metropolis flag was spotted flying high in front of the Cincinnati Museum Center.

That same day, a portion of the Lytle Tunnel was closed for two hours for filming purposes, per a prior announcement from the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Kathleen Fuller, a public information officer for ODOT, previously told The Enquirer the department issued a permit to a Warner Bros. Studios production crew to close the tunnel, though Fuller did not confirm which movie would be shot in Lytle Tunnel.

Recent 'Superman' promos show Union Terminal transformed into Hall of Justice

Two videos released ahead of the premiere of "Superman" feature Cincinnati's Union Terminal transformed into the Hall of Justice, the headquarters of the Justice League.

First, in a promo interview with Toyota, posted June 30, actor Rachel Brosnahan talks about her character Lois Lane and the real-life journalists who inspired the role, while clips of the "Superman" movie play in the background.

Brosnahan is seen walking outside Union Terminal at the video's two-minute mark. "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" star says, "Fans can expect a big adventure, an electrifying ride, an epic love story, characters that they can see themselves in."

"I can't wait to share this movie with fans this summer," Brosnahan says as she drives off-screen in a Toyota bZ.

Another sneak peek of the Cincinnati filming location came in a 36-second behind-the-scenes clip posted by DC Prime TV on Facebook on June 4. In it, DC Studios CEO James Gunn and Canadian-American actor Nathan Fillion practice the wardrobe styling and makeup for Fillion's character, Guy Gardner, and his superhero alter-ego, The Green Lantern. In the video, Gunn discusses his vision for the character's appearance, which includes a pair of bleached sideburns.

"I'm just making this movie as an excuse to give Nathan a bowl cut," Gunn said.

The video ends with a short clip from the film where Brosnahan tells Fillion's character, "That haircut should be against your vows" while standing in the train station-turned-Museum Center.

When does 'Superman' come out?

"Superman" is set to hit theaters July 11, 2025. However, Prime members can purchase tickets to watch the newest DC franchise film three days early on Tuesday, July 8, in select theaters.