Union Terminal Shines as Hall of Justice in ‘Superman’ Movie

Cincinnati Union Terminal — Source: J.Castro / Getty

It’s official: Cincinnati’s Union Terminal is flying once again into superhero territory.

In the upcoming Superman film, hitting theaters Friday, July 11th, the iconic Cincinnati Museum Center will appear as the Hall of Justice, headquarters of the Justice League.

And if it looks familiar to comic book fans, that’s because it is: the original “Superman” artist, Al Gumer, based the Hall’s design on the Union Terminal facade decades ago.

While much of the new DC Studios movie was shot in Cleveland (Superman’s birthplace), Cincinnati also got its moment in the spotlight. In addition to filming at Union Terminal, crews shut down the Lytle Tunnel for a few scenes last year.

According to the Ohio Department of Development, production of Superman brought in over $11 million across both cities.

This film marks the first stand-alone Superman movie in over a decade and serves as a reboot of the franchise under writer-director James Gunn. David Corenswet stars as Clark Kent in what’s being called the launch of a “new” DC Universe.

Film Cincinnati hosted an early screening this week, giving locals a first look at the movie on the big screen. The project also provided opportunities for local crew members and extras.

Not much was changed at Union Terminal for its superhero debut; aside from signage, the building stood tall in all its Art Deco glory, no CGI needed.

So when the lights dim this weekend and the Hall of Justice appears on screen, know that it’s not Metropolis… It’s the Queen City in disguise.