James Gunn's mysterious Brightburn is coming into focus, and the first trailer reveals it's a dark twist on one of the most famous comic book tales of all time.


The trailer reveals that the film centers on a rural couple (Elizabeth Banks and David Denman), who discover an alien baby and adopt it. But no, this is no Superman. This child (Jackson A. Dunn) grows up not be a hero, but instead is a dark presence.


Gunn produced the project, which is directed by The Hive filmmaker David Yarovesky.


Brightburn has been shrouded in mystery, and more details originally were expected to be revealed in July at a San Diego Comic-Con panel, but that appearance was canceled, as it was scheduled just hours before Disney fired Gunn as director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gunn has since moved on to writing a Suicide Squad sequel for DC and Warner Bros.


James Gunn's brother Brian Gunn and cousin Mark Gunn wrote the script for Brightburn. James Gunn produces with Kenneth Huang. Executive producers include Brian Gunn, Dan Clifton, Simon Hatt and Nic Crawley. The H Collective produced and financed the feature.


Sony will open Brighburn on May 24, 2019.