DC Studios/Warner Bros.James Gunn’s Superman has a big task ahead of it. Not only does it need to introduce David Corenswet’s take on the Man of Steel, but it also has to establish an entirely new DC Cinematic Universe, a brand-new franchise that will only get bigger from here. So, how do you instantly get viewers acquainted with this new world? You could show a lengthy prologue, use narration, or foreshadow the end. But Superman chooses not to do any of these. Instead, one simple title card establishes everything you need to know about Superman’s world down to the very minute — a masterful move that kicks off this new universe with a bang.Both metahumans and Superman are nothing new in James Gunn’s Superman. | Warner Bros.Superman’s Prologue, Explained“3 centuries ago, the first metahumans appeared on Earth”This line establishes that superheroes are nothing new in this version of the DCU. This is a world where superpowered beings are already a common part of everyday life for hundreds of years, long enough that we won’t need to deal with America adjusting to the prospect of a hero who can fly in and save the day.“3 decades ago, Kal-El crashed on Earth”This establishes that Kal-El or Clark Kent is thirty years old, but also that his original origin story of crashing as a refugee from the planet Krypton carries over to this movie, even if we don’t necessarily see it play out. This may be the rare moment of telling over-showing, but James Gunn is very aware of how overused superhero origin stories can be. “I don’t need to see pearls in a back alley when Batman’s parents are [murdered],” he recently told The Sunday Times. “I don’t need to see the radioactive spider biting Spider-Man. And I don’t need to see baby Kal coming from Krypton in a little baby rocket.”The first scene of Superman shows the hero fresh off his first defeat. | Warner Bros.“3 years ago, Superman made his debut”Much like in Matt Reeves’ The Batman, we’re seeing Superman as he’s still figuring things out. He’s established enough at this point that people know him by name, but that doesn’t mean he always knows what to do, as the final line proves. “3 minutes ago, Superman lost his first battle”One of the first images we ever saw of Superman was Krypto tending to a bruised and battered Kal-El — a stark difference from how we are used to seeing him. But in this movie, that’s our first impression of him, showing how Gunn can balance the Man of Steel image with one of a flawed human — albeit a metahuman — just trying to figure out how to do the right thing. Superman is now playing in theatres in limited release. The film opens in theaters everywhere on July 11.