To riff off of Justin Timberlake‘s Sean Parker in “The Social Network“, “Drop the “Legacy,” it’s cleaner.” That’s what James Gunn did with the title of his upcoming Superman movie as production on the blockbuster got underway yesterday. The new title? Simply “Superman“; a clean, bold edit without any superfluous or nonsensical subtitle attached, as franchises are wont to do nowadays. That’s a breath of fresh air, and less of a mouthful than, say, “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum” or the latest “Mission: Impossible” sequel.
Gunn took to Instagram to announce his movie’s name change and to tease his Man of Steel’s new suit. “Overjoyed to be announcing the start of principal photography on SUPERMAN today, February 29, which just so happens to be – coincidentally and unplanned – Superman’s birthday,” wrote Gunn in his post. “When I finished the first draft of the script, I called the film Superman: Legacy. By the time I locked the final draft, it was clear the title was SUPERMAN. Making our way to you July 2025.”
In addition, Gunn shared a close-up image of the movie’s new Superman suit, its “S” insignia lightly dusted with snow. For Kal-el fans, it’s clear that means The Fortress of Solitude will play a role in the upcoming film. How big a role, though, remains to be seen.
“Superman” marks the launch of the DCU and its first chapter, titled “Gods And Monsters,” with the film hitting theaters on July 11, 2025. So, needless to say, a lot is riding on how this version of the Man of Steel fares with audiences. David Corenswet stars as Clark Kent/Superman, with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Other cast includes Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Terence Rosemore as Otis, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardiner, and María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer. That’s a stacked ensemble cast, which may or may not go against Gunn’s stance about cameos in superhero films. But we’ll see how that plays out in time.
“Superman” will be the first standalone movie for the superhero since Zack Snyder‘s 2013 film “Man Of Steel.” Before that, Brandon Routh donned the red cape and blue suit in Bryan Singer‘s “Superman Returns” in 2006. And of course, there’s Christopher Reeve‘s timeless rendition of the Superhero, which started in 1978 with Richard Donner‘s “Superman: The Movie.” Is Gunn harking back to Donner’s film with his title change, or does he want a simpler name to kick off “Gods And Monsters”? Whatever the case, it sounds better so much better than “Superman: Legacy,” so good on Gunn for the subtraction.
As noted earlier, “Superman” hits theaters everywhere on July 11, 2025. Check out Gunn’s Instagram post below, as well as a new behind-the-scenes video from Rachel Brosnahan.