With reports teasing how old the new replacement for Superman will be in the DC Universe (DCU), DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn clarified his comments on what fans should expect.
Superman has been a hot topic in recent weeks following Gunn’s long-awaited announcement revealing the Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate that will kick off the new DCU in 2025. The first movie in that group is Superman: Legacy, which will introduce Henry Cavill‘s replacement in the role after the fan-favorite actor’s exit from the DCU at the end of 2022.
Shortly after the announcement regarding Superman’s new solo film, a report indicated that Gunn and company were looking for an actor in his mid-20s to portray Clark Kent, with the character being approximately 25 years old in the new DCU.
This would make for a much younger Superman than fans have seen in recent years, as Cavill’s Clark Kent was 33 years old when he first became a hero in 2013’s Man of Steel.
James Gunn Addresses New Superman Age Claim
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn took to Twitter to set the record straight on what his plans are for Superman in the new DC Universe, specifically touching on the character’s age.
After The Hollywood Reporter shared that Superman would be about 25 years old in the upcoming Superman: Legacy movie, Gunn clarified the news and compared it to what Batman’s age will be.
He noted that people are speculating between 25 and 30, but he confirmed that he would only be “younger than in his forties” and that he “might be” a little younger than Batman:
“Yeah but people are speculating about both ages. All I ever said was Superman was younger than in his forties and Batman MIGHT be a couple years older than Superman.”
Responding to another fan who repeated the number 25 for Superman’s age, Gunn made it clear that this was never officially stated:
“Nope! It keeps getting repeated but I never said that.”
How Old Will Superman Actually Be in the DCU?
While Gunn makes it clear that he never specified Superman’s age in the new story, he didn’t flat-out deny that Superman would be that age either.
The DC Studios leader is always careful with exactly how he words his messages to fans, even when he’s not blatantly shutting down some kind of bogus rumor.
There’s no telling what exact age Superman will be in the new DCU, although Gunn confirmed that it will explore his origins as he learns to navigate his life as a Kryptonian and as a citizen of Earth.
While he’s explained that the All-Star Superman comic run will help inspire this story, he’ll certainly be young enough where he can carry the new franchise for the better part of a decade, if not longer.
Casting won’t begin for this role until after the script for Superman: Legacy is complete, which might not be for some time considering how far out the release date is.
But as fans wait for more news about the movie as a whole, casting will remain a hot topic as the anticipation builds to see who the next Last Son of Krypton will be.
Superman: Legacy will debut in theaters on July 11, 2025.
