Beloved actor and musician Jack Black has put himself forward as the new Man of Steel for James Gunn and the DCU’s upcoming reboot, Superman: Legacy. Taking to social media to don the red and blue suit and demonstrate how well-suited he is for the role of the iconic superhero; Black shared an audition video alongside the caption “new universe…” And DC co-chief James Gunn is very much on board.
“What’s up, Jamie Jamie Gunn Gunn? I was just taking a napskie,” Black says in the footage before showing off his affinity for laser vision and taking flight Superman-style. Filmmaker James Gunn then responded to the video in the best way possible saying, “I thought we agreed to save this news for ComicCon.”
While many Man of Steel fans were left disappointed by the news that Henry Cavill will no longer play the role, Jack Black is perhaps the only man who can live up to such a legacy. Black did almost play a DC hero once in the scrapped Green Lantern comedy project, and no doubt Superman: Legacy could finally allow the School of Rock star to realize his dream.
Of course, Gunn has stated that he will be looking for a younger actor to play the role of Clark Kent aka Superman in the reboot, but thanks to his toddler-like energy, Black could surely pass for a young man in his twenties with ease.
James Gunn Will Reboot the Man of Steel with Superman: Legacy
The Superman franchise is now all set to be rebooted as part of the recalibrated DCU, with Superman: Legacy now scheduled for release on July, 11, 2025. DC Chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran recently revealed details of the shared superhero universe going forward saying, “It’s not an origin story. 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 as old-fashioned.”
Should Gunn change his mind and make the mistake of not giving Jack Black the lead role, we must await any casting updates patiently, with Gunn recently debunking any ongoing rumors.
Aside from Superman: Legacy, we now have a much better idea of what the DCU will entail. The franchise will begin with the Superman reboot in July 2025, followed by the superhero team-up flick The Authority, a Batman project titled The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, a Swamp Thing reboot, a Wonder Woman prequel series titled Paradise Lost, the animated series Creature Commandos, a series centered on Amanda Waller, a Green Lantern series titled Lanterns, and a series about Booster Gold.
As for Jack Black, he is plenty busy. The actor will next voice the villain, Bowser, in The Super Mario Bros. Movie before returning as the voice of Po in Kung Fu Panda 4. Continuing the voice work, Black will also portray the robot Claptrap in the upcoming live action adaptation of the video game Borderlands.
