James Gunn has previously hinted that “All-Star Superman” serves as an influence on his upcoming Superman film, meaning an appearance by Solaris isn’t out of the question. Even if Solaris isn’t the main villain, it’s possible the sun (or something akin to it) might factor into part of the movie, perhaps serving as a threat toward the beginning that’s replaced with something even bigger later on. Nicholas Hoult plays Lex Luthor, who’s bound to cause some serious trouble for the Man of Steel, but fans can’t help but speculate what other villains may factor into this story that Gunn wants to remain hidden for the time being.
It’s also possible that the sphere may not be Solaris at all. It may somehow be related to Brainiac, another powerful adversary fans have speculated might finally get a big-screen debut. For starters, the sphere in the image Gunn posted doesn’t really look like a sun. It seems to be more metallic, with pink lines running through it, similar to the hue of the blast it appears to be emitting. Though he’s green, Brainiac often incorporates pink into his designs, so perhaps this is a vessel of some kind that’s transported Brainiac to Earth.
It’s hard to tell if the sphere is blasting the ray (although the pink in its design suggests that’s the case) or if something else is attacking the sphere. Regardless of what exactly is going on in the background, it’s a cool image, made all the cooler by showing Superman in a moment that focuses so much on the “man” rather than the “super,” putting his boots on one at a time just like the rest of us.
