NFL
By: Rick O’Donnell
How many times have you seen the Superman movie in 2025? Outside of the people who didn’t enjoy it, social media posts have people posting about seeing it a second, or third, or, for one fanatic, seven times. The movie itself is packed with call-backs to classic Superman tropes, and James Gunn loves to layer in Easter eggs for fans to notice along the way. Was there a subtle nod to a classic Superman vision that went over our heads (or at least mine at first)?
I’ve seen everyone talking about their favorite moments from Superman. Some of the bigger ones is the fight scene with Mr. Terrific, Superman’s monologue at the end, and of course, Krypto. There’s talk about how much Superman gives them hope, like the character always should’ve. Everyone’s biggest takeaway was how life has shifted, and all of the sudden, kindness is the new “punk rock”. Ya know what I haven’t heard anyone talk about? Mister Mxyzptlk, who may have flown under the radar as we were caught up in such a great moment.
First, who is Mister Mxyzptlk? (From Wikipedia character bio)
Mister Mxyzptlk, sometimes called Mxy, is a character who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is usually presented as a trickster in the classical mythological sense. Mxyzptlk possesses reality-warping powers with which he enjoys tormenting Superman or making life difficult.
Does that sound familiar from the movie yet? If not, let me jog your memory. In the scene where Lois shows up to make up with Superman after their big fight. The scene where the “Justice Gang” is in the background fighting a jellyfish-looking creature, and Clark appears he couldn’t care less, stating that they have it handled. Just before the speech about having to go save Krypto before being alone and scared, Lois asks him if he’s going to help, and Clark responds, “It’s just an inter-dimensional imp” and goes about his business.
Why would he be so cavalier about it? Is it because it’s not as big a threat as it appears? Or could it possibly be Mister Mxyzptlk, out in the world, being a trickster, and just being an overall thorn in the side of our heroes as no real threat? He’s a shapeshifter who could easily take the form of the large monster we all saw on screen; there’s some weight to the fact that it could be him.
Mister Mxyzptlk has been around since Superman #30, published in 1944. He’s been one of the classic Superman villains and could easily have been snuck into Superman if fans were paying close enough attention. If that’s what was intended, could he be utilized in the future to break away from the typical Superman villains, or was it just a fun little Easter egg for fans?
