When Does the Film "Superman" (2025) Take Place?
"Superman" is a superhero film written by James Gunn [adapting "Lex Luthor: Man of Steel" #? (2005?) by Brian Azzarello, as well as "?" #? (?) by ?] that released July 11th, 2025. So when is "Superman" set?
It takes place on the fictional DC Films timeline in the year:
We know this because while no indication of a year is made, the story opens with relative time setting information in white title cards superimposed over the footage telling us: "3 DECADES AGO" Kal-El/Clark Kent first arrived on Earth and "3 YEARS AGO" Clark debuted publicly as Superman.
2014 AD
We know this because while no indication of a year is made, the story opens with relative time setting information in white title cards superimposed over the footage telling us: "3 DECADES AGO" Kal-El/Clark Kent first arrived on Earth and "3 YEARS AGO" Clark debuted publicly as Superman.
This narrative exists in a splinter universe from the stories labeled by fands as the DC Extended Universe of DCEU. In this new universe, the date of Superman's arrival on Planet Earth is not established but that year has been established in other live-action media, not to mention the material the film is adapting:
-During the film "Man of Steel" (2013), Kal-El/Clark/Superman says, "I've been here for 33 years", in reference to his arrival on Earth not being recent. This actually lines up almost perfectly with the "3 DECADES" and "3 YEARS" in this movie's opening.
30 + 3 = 33
and
1980 + 33 = 2013.
That would put us around 2013 AD, and Clark says to Lois Lane, "3 months ago, we had our first date." in an early scene. "Man of Steel" (2013) primarily take place in late September of 2013 AD. Though the two characters aren't explicitly dating at the conclusion, they have met and are dating by the start of the next part of that series, "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" (2016). So, that would put us during or after January of 2014 AD.
10.2013 + 3 months = 1.2014.
More specifically, very early in this movie the front-page of an issue of "The Daily Planet" newspaper is visible held by a security guard dated for "MAY 19" and then another appears at the end dated for "MAY 24TH". So it appears the entire plot takes place in less than a week and it is probably May of 2014 AD.
[HOWEVER. Kal-El is seen born in scenes of "Man of Steel" (2013), which take place in 1980 AD. That might make the current time May of 2010 AD since that universe's debut narrative strongly implies he arrived on Earth within the same year. But it only implies it and several versions of the tale (as we'll see below) describe a period of travel more than 1 year for baby Kal-El.
1980 + 30 = 2010.
In "Man of Steel" (2013), Clark publicly makes his presence on Earth known to the general public for the first time and it primarily take places in late September of 2013 AD so that would make it May of 2016 AD.
2013 + 3 = 2016.]
In the Superman films universe timeline, sometimes called the Donnerverse after director Richard Donner (less likely to be parallel, but still related), partway through "Superman: The Movie" (1978), Lex Luthor recites some facts from Lois Lane’s exclusive interview with Kal-El/Superman. Among the facts Kal-El offers up to the public, Luthor says, "In the interview, he says that the Planet Krypton exploded in 1948." and then "Ridiculous little freak took 3 years in a rocket ship to get to Earth."
1948 + 3 = 1951
and
1951 + 30 = 1981.
That would put the thing in May of 1981 AD. Unlike the "Man of Steel" (2013) situation, "Superman II" (1980) offers no contradictions but "Superman III" (1983) and "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace" (1987) do because they take place in 1980 AD and 1985 AD, respectively. Lois and Clark/Kal-El/Superman have been dating for "3 months" (When Perry White jokingly asks, "How long have those two been a thing?", Jimmy Olsen quickly responds, "About 3 months.", confirming Clark’s statement from earlier on) but he debuted as Superman "3 YEARS AGO" as per the omnipotent opening text. Not to mention the presence of social media in this story makes it much more likely in the 2010s AD as the first social media platform Friendster was launched in March of 2003 AD in the real world.
It is a chronologically early film in the DC Films multiverse timeline (an early chronological film to feature Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman) and can be watched at its timeline point.
