Final yr’s Superman movie had quite a bit going for it. A brand new director, James Gunn, who came to visit from Marvel after the success of his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, introduced a brand new course to DC Studios. It was a contemporary tone for the superhero powerhouse that’s DC. New characters, new concepts, and sure, even a superdog.
Director James Gunn on the set of Superman 2025; Mr. Terrific’s flying seat is absolutely 3D printed.
Really, there was lots to speak about. It additionally labored on the field workplace, opening to round $220 million globally and giving DC a much-needed win. However one of many extra fascinating components of the movie’s story occurred behind the scenes. And though it didn’t make the headlines, 3D printing performed a key function in how the movie got here collectively.
Most individuals watching the film aren’t fascinated by who constructed the go well with, the robots, or the creatures, however that’s the place quite a lot of the true work occurs. The group behind these bodily parts is Legacy Results, a studio that has spent years constructing props, fits, and animatronics for main movies, like Iron Man, Jurassic World, and Avatar.
The engineer is putting in the inner construction of the Animatronic Robotic.
Throughout the manufacturing of Superman in 2025, the group made a shift in how they labored, bringing in a bunch of printers from Bambu Lab, at first simply to check and perhaps velocity up just a few steps. However that didn’t final lengthy, and what began as a small experiment shortly unfold throughout the total workshop, as extra components have been printed, extra groups started utilizing them, and the printers moved from being simply one other software to one thing rather more central to how the movie was made.
Mr. Terrific’s T-shaped masks within the film was printed by Bambu Lab’s 3D printer with TPU.
From prototypes to actual components
For years, 3D printing in movie meant selecting between velocity and high quality. Quick prints have been good for testing, however something meant for the digicam often needed to be made once more utilizing slower processes. In lots of instances, that meant switching to applied sciences like SLA or MJF simply to get the floor end proper. That always meant printing the identical half twice, as soon as to check and as soon as to get the end proper.
What modified right here is that this hole began to shut. With Bambu Lab’s X1C platform, components could possibly be printed shortly whereas nonetheless reaching a floor high quality that was ok for a lot of on-set makes use of. Elements weren’t solely fast to make, but in addition clear sufficient to make use of, and in some instances might go straight to the set with none additional work.
So, constructing a superhero’s world, piece by piece, turned sooner, simpler, and rather more versatile.
Hammer of Boravia armor, 3D printed however not but floor completed.
This transfer confirmed up in every single place. Whole fits, just like the Hammer of Boravia and the LexCorp Raptors, have been printed, fitted to stunt performers, adjusted, and printed once more, generally all in the identical day. As a substitute of ready days for a brand new model, groups might take a look at concepts nearly immediately. What used to take days of iteration might now occur in hours.
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- LexCorp Raptors armor, in 3D printed situation, not but floor completed.
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- Completed LexCorp Raptors armor.
The identical strategy carried over to extra complicated builds, like Mr. Terrific’s flying chair. It had transferring components and wanted to work on set, however a lot of it was constituted of printed parts, mixed with different supplies. Many of those components have been produced utilizing FFF, then mixed with MJF parts and steel {hardware} to create a useful construction. As soon as completed, it regarded polished and stable, prepared for the digicam, Bambu Lab defined.
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- Precise photograph of Mr. Terrific’s Reworking Flying Chair.
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- The engineer is testing the mobility of Mr. Terrific’s Reworking Flying Chair.
It additionally modified how animatronics have been constructed. Robots, inside mechanisms, and brackets have been printed, examined, and refined shortly, first in PLA and later in stronger supplies like PA-CF. This allowed groups to validate match and motion early, earlier than committing to extra sturdy variations. And when wanted, printed components have been used to make molds, permitting the group to create a number of light-weight variations for stunt work from a single print.
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- Hammer of Boravia armor present process floor ending.
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- Hammer of Boravia armor on the film set.
Quicker choices, higher outcomes
The largest change wasn’t simply the components, it was the tempo. Groups might redesign, print, take a look at, and repeat inside a single day, generally a number of occasions, which modified how they labored. As a substitute of making an attempt to get all the pieces proper the primary time, they may strive extra concepts, repair issues earlier, and transfer sooner throughout groups, with artwork, engineering, and fabrication beginning to come collectively in a way more direct method. In some instances, groups ran a number of variations of the identical half in a single day, adjusting designs between prints.
Closing debugging of the Animatronic Robotic that Superman makes use of within the film.
3D printing has been a part of movie manufacturing for greater than a decade, however principally within the background, used for prototypes or help somewhat than ultimate items. There have been some exceptions, with printed components often making it on display, however these instances have been restricted. What’s altering now could be how broadly the expertise is used and the way typically these components make it into the ultimate product. On this case, it wasn’t simply serving to the method; it was changing steps, simplifying the workflow, and permitting groups to maneuver extra instantly from design to completed half. It additionally made it simpler to maneuver from digital fashions, whether or not sculpted or scanned, straight into manufacturing, with out remodeling them on the store flooring.
Within the movie, the Hammer of Boravia is combating Superman.
Most individuals watching Superman 2025 received’t discover any of this. They are going to see the fits, the creatures, the machines, and assume all of it got here collectively the standard method. However one thing did change. 3D printing is not only a background software for testing; it’s changing into a part of how issues are literally made. And that shift is more likely to form how these films are made within the years to come back.
Pictures courtesy of Bambu Lab/Legacy Results
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