The Wild Story Behind Superman’s Real Ice Fortress

July 13, 2025: DC’s latest blockbuster Superman, directed by James Gunn and starring David Corenswet, features a stunning recreation of the Fortress of Solitude—thanks to production designer Beth Mickle, who spent six months bringing the superhero’s frozen hideout to life.

Speaking to Variety, Mickle called the Fortress one of her toughest challenges to date. Known for her work on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, she took 16 weeks to build the massive set, crafting 242 giant crystals entirely from resin. “All the resin that existed on the Eastern seaboard in 2023—we bought it all,” Mickle revealed, adding that building the practical set was ultimately cheaper than CGI.

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The exterior scenes were filmed in the icy wilderness of Svalbard, a remote archipelago between Norway and the North Pole, chosen for its surreal, otherworldly landscape.

Mickle worked hard to honor the original Fortress seen in Richard Donner’s Superman films from the 1970s and ’80s while adding a fresh, modern twist. The only digital effects were used to animate the fortress rising from beneath the ice. Everything else—the dashboard, the crystal walls, the reflective floors—was physically built.

Inside the Fortress, the film introduces healing robots who restore Superman using solar rays. The set’s intricate design even caught lead actor David Corenswet off guard. Mickle recalled seeing him walk up the crystal steps in his red cape for the first time. “He came over, was so gracious, and complimented the set,” she said.

Released on July 11, Superman is off to a flying start, raking in $56.5 million across Friday and preview screenings at over 4,000 theaters. That makes it the second-biggest box office opener of the year, just behind A Minecraft Movie ($57.11M) and ahead of Lilo & Stitch ($55.94M), according to Variety.