Throughout decades of “Superman” comics, Metropolis has been located in various places. In James Gunn’s new film, it’s once again in Delaware—but no, that’s not actually Delaware you’re seeing on screen. In fact, the film was nowhere near it.
Like any film, there are multiple filming locations. Much of “Superman” was filmed in various cities in Georgia, but that was mostly for interiors. The city of Metropolis you’re seeing is in the Midwest—Cleveland, Ohio, to be specific. Meanwhile, the Hall of Justice, where the Justice gang is based, is in Cincinnati.
You might wonder why Ohio was chosen for this version of “Superman.” Well, it’s partly because that’s where the character’s creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, first came up with the idea for Superman. But for director James Gunn, it was just an added bonus.
“We were drawn there because it has all this beautiful Art Deco architecture, which is what we wanted the metropolis to look like,” Gunn revealed in the film’s production notes. “It just happened to fit what we were looking for in a city, and it was also the birthplace of Superman.”
But, according to David Corenswet , who plays the Man of Steel, the team also laid down a nod to his own birthplace, Philadelphia. Liberty Place, a skyscraper in Philly, can be seen as part of the Metropolis skyline.
“Superman” is now in theaters everywhere.
