DC Studios Co-Head James Gunn Opens Up About ‘Superman: Legacy’

DC Studios co-head James Gunn has revealed new details about Superman: Legacy.

James Gunn is working on the script of the next Superman movie, which features the subtitle “Legacy.” The movie was officially announced during the recent DC Studios slate reveal, with details about it being kept under wraps, though Gunn has now opened up about his passion for the character.

“He’s a big old galoot. He is a farm boy from Kansas who is very idealistic,” Gunn said during the DC Studios presentation . “His greatest weakness is that he’ll never kill anybody and doesn’t want to hurt a living soul. And I like that sort of innate goodness about Superman as his defining characteristic.”

The DC Studios co-head added that Superman: Legacy is not an adaptation of the popular DC Comics arc All-Star Superman, but takes inspiration from the Grant Morrison run. His movie adapts the parts of the comic book that see Superman balancing his strength with his morality.

James Gunn is writing Superman: Legacy and expected to direct the movie, according to recent reports. It is currently slated to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. The movie sees Superman balancing “his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing” and his “embodiment of truth, justice and the American way and kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned.”

DC Studios is casting a new Kal-El for Superman: Legacy, as the DC Universe movie explores the early years of the Last Son of Krypton, around the time he first stats working at the Daily Planet in Metropolis. As such, Henry Cavill is not returning as the DC Comics hero.

The future of the DC Universe

James Gunn and Peter Safran told journalists that their vision for the DC Universe includes locked scripts, wiggle room and a unified storyline across film, television, animation and video game projects. The two explained that the DC Universe could bring back elements from previous DC regimes, meaning that their eight-to-year plan is not a full reboot.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are currently in various stages of post-production at Warner Bros. Discovery, with all four DC Universe movies slated to hit theaters in 2023. Will the characters from those movies make appearances in the new DCU? Only Gunn and Safran know.

Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!