Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Here is a simplified version of the story contents: Here is a lighthearted take on the story contents: Explore a different perspective:
Spoilers ahead for Superman, playing in theaters on July 11th!
James Gunn’s long-awaited Superman movie is nearly here, and the forthcoming blockbuster aims to give audiences a promising start to a shared DC universe. Superman is the second DCU project to emerge under DC Studios, following Creators Commandos, but it’s the first feature film to receive all the spotlight. The film will introduce moviegoers to David Corenswet’s Man of Steel, supported by other iconic characters like Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen, and plenty of other traditional Superman figures. Gunn’s Superman will also serve as a formative piece for the DCU at large, featuring other costumed heroes, such as Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, and more.
Superman will also attempt to strike a delicate balance between delivering a satisfying standalone installment while setting the stage for an enticing universe viewers will want to commit to for the next decade. Following speculation online due to set photos taken last year, Gunn confirmed to Brandon Davis the Hall of Justice will appear in the film, and its existence is a major piece of world-building for the DCU’s Justice League.
The Hall of Justice Dates Back to the ’70s
Many notable locations stretch across the DC Universe, from The Daily Planet building to Wayne Manor. The Hall of Justice is another, but it does not originate from comic books. In fact, the Hall of Justice originated from the classic Super Friends animated series.
The Super Friend’s headquarters made its debut in the pilot episode, which aired on September 8, 1973. The Hall of Justice would serve as the headquarters for the group of heroes in the series and eventually make its way into DC comic book canon with 2007’s Justice League of America #7.
«One of the things I love about DC and that excites me about DC is that, in a way, it is another alternate history. It is Gotham City and Metropolis, and Star City and Bloodhaven. All of these different places in another reality. And it makes it a little bit like Westeros in some ways. I love that about it. I love that we get to create true worldbuilding in DC. It isn’t just, ‘We’re throwing some superheroes on Earth.’ I think that, right now, is one of the key differences [between DC and Marvel].» — James Gunn on Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast.
The Hall of Justice is an impressive building inspired by a real-life counterpart, the Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio. While the Super Friends‘ creators never confirmed the inspiration, Hanna-Barbera, the studio behind the show, was sold to Cincinnati-based Taft Broadcasting. The resemblance between the two buildings is undeniable, which is why 2025’s Superman filmed at the real-world location.
The Hall of Justice is a prominent DC landmark, but its location has shifted over the years. Its address is never clearly stated in the Super Friends series, but comics have placed it in Washington, D.C., while others have it in fictional cities like Gotham City or Metropolis. With Gunn looking to expand the DCU with cities that don’t exist in our world, there’s a good chance the Hall of Justice has a home in Metropolis within the new shared universe.
The DCEU Planned To Use Wayne Manor As the Justice League HQ
In addition to appearances in comic books, the Hall of Justice has also made its way into live-action and animated DC projects. In animation, the Hall of Justice has appeared in Justice League Unlimited, Young Justice, and Justice League Action.
In video games, Injustice: Gods Among Us and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League also notably used the location. In the live-action Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman series, there are also regular mentions of the Hall of Justice in reference to the Metropolis police headquarters, which bears no resemblance to the building. The Arrowverse is the closest fans have gotten to a true Hall of Justice depiction in live-action so far, with an old S.T.A.R. Labs hangar becoming the base for its heroes in the Invasion! and Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover events.
|
Other Notable Hall of Justice Appearances |
|---|
|
Zack Snyder’s Justice League |
|
Invasion! (Arrowverse) |
|
Crisis on Infinite Earths (Arrowverse) |
|
Young Justice |
|
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League |
Like other versions, the DC Extended Universe didn’t feature a Hall of Justice in all its glory, but Justice League did tease it. In the Knightmare sequence, only in Zack Snyder’s cut, a destroyed Hall of Justice briefly appeared.
The end of the film also teased a different location for the Justice League’s home, at Wayne Manor. In the DCEU, Wayne Manor is in ruins, with Snyder contributing that to a couple of causes. In the scene teasing the Hall of Justice, Bruce Wayne said he wanted to set up six chairs, while Wonder Woman added there should be room for more. Ultimately, the DCEU never got to fully realize the Justice League’s headquarters since there was only one film featuring the team.
In Superman, the Hall of Justice Will Serve a Different Purpose For Now…
In Superman, the Man of Steel will encounter other heroes, as the DCU operates in a world where meta-humans have existed for 300 years. As a result, the upcoming film will feature a new creation by Gunn called the Justice Gang, a team made up of Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl and Mister Terrific.
LordTech CEO Maxwell Lord will operate the team in the DCU, serving as an intriguing mirror to Superman, since they are a group of superheroes who have gone corporate. In the DCU, the Justice Gang will call the Hall of Justice home, and according to Gunn, Lord owns the building featured in the film, seen under construction.
While there’s currently no Justice League film officially announced, the team will inevitably form in the DCU at some point if the franchise proves successful, and the Hall of Justice appearance seems to be the first major tease so far. Of course, the Hall of Justice isn’t the only location the Justice League uses as a home base, so either the team will take it from the Justice Gang, or they could jump straight to the Watchtower in the DCU.
The Hall of Justice is a notable location from DC’s past, especially for those of the same generation as Gunn, who grew up with the Super Friends. The building is also a significant addition, as it marks a milestone for DCU. The MCU drew inspiration from the source material to create iconic settings that brought them to the screen. Most notably, Stark Tower became Avengers Tower and later transformed into the Watchtower for the New Avengers in Thunderbolts*. The MCU has created other recurring locations over the years, and the DCU will try to do something similar.
The Daily Planet and the Fortress of Solitude are two locations from Superman’s corner of the universe that will appear in the film, but the Hall of Justice speaks to something bigger. Following the controversy of the first Justice League film, one of the DCU’s biggest goals will be to do the team right this time around. Starting with a small tease in Superman, by using a familiar location already established, it becomes an exciting way to build toward the eventual team-up.
