James Gunn's Superman: Legacy Reveals New Title And First Look At Superman Suit
Ladies and gentlemen, enjoy your first look at James Gunn's "Superman." Given that it's Superman's birthday, director James Gunn decided to share the first look at the much-anticipated reboot of the franchise, which is due to hit theaters next summer. Previously titled "Superman: Legacy," the film stars David Corenswet ("Pearl") as our new Man of Steel. But Gunn, in revealing our first look at the hero's new suit, also revealed the new, shorter title for the film. Check it out:
"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," Gunn said on Instagram along with the picture of the suit. "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." As for the suit, we can see the "S" logo on the chest, with the classic red and blue on display. Rather intriguingly, we can also see some snow on the suit. Unfortunately, we're not seeing any of Corenswet in the flesh, but all in due time. More than anything, it signifies that we're off to the races.
This won't be one of those cases where audiences get confused about a movie using a title that was previously used in the same franchise; the title "Superman" has actually never been used before, because Richard Donner's original movie was technically called "Superman: The Movie."
This is going to be the first movie as part of the new DC Universe. Warner Bros. is moving away from the DCEU, aka the Snyderverse, which kicked off with 2013's "Man of Steel." Instead, Gunn and his DC Studios co-head Peter Safran are forging a new future for the franchise with an ambitious slate of movies and TV shows. This is truly just the beginning, as everything from Andy Muschietti's "The Brave and the Bold" and James Mangold's "Swamp Thing" will be gracing the screen in the coming years.
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's our new Superman!
Plot details largely remain under wraps for "Legacy" but Gunn has confirmed that the film won't rehash the character's origin story again. Beyond that, we know that the film will also take place in a universe where superheroes already exist, which will help set it apart from Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel," for example. That being the case, the cast has blossomed to include quite a few other DC characters who will be entering this brave new universe alongside our new Superman.
Corenswet's Clark Kent will be joined by Rachel Brosnahan ("The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel") as Lois Lane and Skyler Gisondo ("Booksmart") as Jimmy Olsen. But that's truly just the tip of the iceberg, as Gunn has assembled as large ensemble for this one. It will also include Nathon Fillion ("Firefly") as Guy Gardner, Nicholas Hoult ("Renfield") as Lex Luthor, Anthony Carrigan ("Barry) as Metamorpho, Isabel Merced ("Dora and the Lost City of Gold") as Hawkgirl, María Gabriela De Faría ("Animal Control") as The Engineer, and Edi Gathegi ("X-Men: First Class") as Mister Terrific. James Gunn's brother Sean Gunn will also be along for the ride as our new Maxwell Lord.
Looking at the slightly larger picture, the first chapter of the new DCU is officially called "Gods and Monsters," with Gunn and Safran emphasizing "flexibility" with the slate, despite developing quite a few movies and TV shows to be released over the next several years. It will be a near-total reboot, with new actors also playing Batman, Supergirl, and other key characters now that the DCEU is in the rearview mirror. It's a brave new world, and this is the beginning of it all.
"Superman" is set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.