Well, it’s official. After teasing that he was writing the upcoming Man of Steel reboot, “Superman: Legacy” and possibly directing it, Warner Bros. has announced today that writer/director James Gunn will indeed helm this Superman film he penned. The news comes on the heels of what can be called a premature leak. DC Studios writer Tom King let it slip earlier this week that Gunn would indeed be directing the film, but today, WB and DC Studios—of which Gunn is the co-chief (lol)—made it official.
“Superman: Legacy” will be the first film in what Gunn and DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran calls “Gods and Monsters,” aka their Phase 1 equivalent to Marvel Studios, aka the first chapter in their new DC.
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Not much is known about the film, but it’s set to focus on a younger Clark Kent/Superman as a fledging reporter at the Daily Planet. And yes, as you already know, that means Henry Cavill—who was essentially let go as Superman following his cameo in the failed “Black Adam” film—won’t be reprising his role as the Man Of Steel. However, Gunn added today that the film will be “centering around Superman’s heritage – how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes.”
It’s unknown who will play this new Superman or any other member of the cast, but Gunn recently squashed certain Internet casting rumors to say on Twitter that casting hadn’t even started.
At the end of January, Gunn revealed DC Studios’ upcoming slate, five new films, including his Superman movie, and five new TV shows, none of them connected to the current DC Universe or any of the four DC films coming out in 2023 (which isn’t a good sign for their survival in this tumultuous time for the DC brand as it overhauls itself).
“Superman: Legacy” is the only film from Gods and Monsters to have a set release date, and it is scheduled to soar into theatres on July 11, 2025. Watch Gunn’s original announcement video below and see his tweet verifying the news.
Gunn also reiterated, as he’s said before, that he turned down Superman years ago when he was offered the project during another DC era, but he’s clearly come around and found a good take on the story.
