Superman: Legacy writer and director James Gunn shared what he feels his upcoming movie needs to avoid.
Fans have been clamoring for a new solo Superman outing for years, and Gunn is set to deliver that with his upcoming DCU reboot.
While some might not have expected Henry Cavill to be ousted, it seems that the filmmaker’s vision focuses on a much younger Superman—who Gunn has yet to cast.
A fresh take on the Man of Steel has a lot of potential to succeed. But, to realize that to its fullest, Gunn will need to avoid one key pitfall.
Avoiding a Superman Rehash
In a new interview with Variety, Superman: Legacy writer and director James Gunn spoke about what he feels his upcoming reboot needs to avoid.
Gunn pointed out how the project wouldn’t be worth making if “it was just a redo of any other Superman adaptation:”
“I don’t think the movie would be worth making if it was just a redo of any other Superman adaptation… For us to truly thrive as a studio, we need to honor the past of these characters while simultaneously seeing them in a new light.”
Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav also elaborated, making it clear that “[they] have a real opportunity to breathe life into these characters.”
Many Possibilities for James Gunn’s Superman
All fans really know about Superman: Legacy, besides it focusing on a younger version of the hero, is that the plot will see the Kryptonian “reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent.”
Aside from that, everything else is up in the air. But, given how eccentric and crazy James Gunn’s projects can be (see The Suicide Squad or Peacemaker), fans should have no reason to worry about the reboot retreading old ground.
There has been lots of talk about Lobo, possibly played by Jason Mamoa, taking on the antagonist role in Legacy. Needless to say, that choice would be fairly unconventional compared to other options like Brainiac or Metallo.
There are also recent rumors suggesting that the new DCU’s Superman will eventually go up against The Authority, who is a new group of anti-heroes Gunn and his partner Peter Safran will be bringing to life in a separate project.
It’s clear that whatever this upcoming DCU has in store for Clark Kent and his heroic alter-ego will be far different than anything before.
Superman: Legacy is set to come to theaters worldwide on July 11, 2025.
