James Gunn is making DC’s Superman: Legacy his next directorial outing, having also written the feature. It will be the first big-screen feature of the Gunn-Safran era of the DCEU, and is currently dated for July 11th, 2025.
“It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks that kindness is old-fashioned,” Safran told reporters in January.
Via his Twitter account, Gunn explained he was initially hesitant to take on a Superman movie, even though he was offered the character before taking on The Suicide Squad instead. “I initially said no because I didn’t have a way in that felt unique and fun and emotional that gave Superman the dignity he deserved. Then a bit less than a year ago I saw a way in, in many ways centring around Superman’s heritage – how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes.”
As DC fans know well, this Superman will not be portrayed by Henry Cavill, who was DC’s Clark Kent in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League (plus a cameo appearance in Black Adam). No word yet on who might take up the cape.
Superman: Legacy is one of the projects that Gunn and Safran have teased in their “Chapter 1: God and Monsters” storyline, which will be told via different TV shows and films (think, the equivalent of the MCU’s Phases). Other titles include Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and The Authority. There’ll also be films releasing that do not fit into their overarching canon, such as Matt Reeves’ The Batman Part II, which is due to release in cinemas October 2025.