SUPERMAN Concept Art Reveals a Completely Different Vision for Jor-El and Lara
Some newly revealed concept art from Superman has surfaced, and it offers an interesting look at how different Kal-El’s Kryptonian parents almost were. The early designs show a version of Jor-El and Lara Lor-Von that leans much harder into a surreal, sci-fi presentation.
The artwork comes from concept artist Victor Martinez, who shared the unused art showing how Jor-El and Lara would appear in the film. Instead of a more traditional hologram or recorded message, the concept imagined something more visually striking inside the Fortress of Solitude.
Martinez explained: "Early concept art for the Jor-El and Lara hologram seen inside The Fortress of Solitude. The idea was that their image would be projected within the crystals making up the fortress walls. Seen here with baby Kal-El as they prepare to give him away to Earth."
That idea alone paints a very different emotional tone. There’s something more alien and almost mythic about the parents being embedded in the Fortress itself.
Of course, what ended up on screen sparked a lot of conversation for entirely different reasons.
In Superman, the portrayal of Jor-El and Lara Lor-Von takes a sharp turn from what fans have come to expect. After Superman is beaten by Ultraman and brought to the Fortress by Krypto, the Caretaker Robots begin playing the message his parents sent with him to Earth. At first, it feels familiar, but we learn that part of the message was damaged during the journey.
Later, when Lex Luthor breaks into the Fortress and The Engineer decodes the corrupted portion, everything flips. Instead of being noble saviors, Jor-El and Lara are revealed to have far more ruthless intentions. They didn’t just send their son to survive. They sent him to dominate.
The message suggests Earth was chosen specifically because humanity would be easy to conquer, and it even hints that Kal-El should rebuild Krypton’s legacy by spreading his lineage across the planet.
That creative decision became one of the most talked-about elements of the film. Some viewers appreciated how it reshaped Superman’s journey and forced him to define his own morality independent of his origins. Others weren’t thrilled with seeing such iconic characters twisted into something so cold.
Regardless, this art is a great reminder of how many different directions a film like Superman can take before landing on the version we ultimately see.