Superman: Legacy, the movie which will mark the full launch of James Gunn and Peter Safran's DCU, will not be an origin story as previously believed.
DC announced today that Gunn and Safran's reboot of one of the franchise's most iconic characters isn't going to feature a young Man of Steel just starting out but an established version of the hero struggling to find balance in his personal identity. "It's not an origin story," Safran revealed. "It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing." Safran also shared his and Gunn's feelings about the core aspects of the character, which they will be aiming to translate to the screen. "Superman represents truth, justice and the American way," he said. "He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned."
When this project was first announced in December 2022, Gunn was confirmed to be writing the movie, which he also hopes to direct. Due to the recasting of Henry Cavill and comments Gunn had already made about recasting with a younger actor better suited to the version of the character he wanted to write, fans have been under the impression that this movie would be a total reboot of the character, all the way back to his origin story. However, it has now been confirmed that the version of Clark Kent in Superman: Legacy will already be an established hero and working at the Daily Planet.
The End of Henry Cavill's Superman
Following a dramatic return to the role in a Black Adam post-credits scene cameo, Cavill was forced to announce that he would not be appearing again as The Man of Tomorrow, a role he had played in four previous movies including both Justice League cuts. There was an outcry from fans, many of whom felt Cavill had been treated unfairly by Warner Bros., but Gunn defended the Superman recasting decision as the best one for the studio and their storytelling going forward. "Our choices for the DCU are based upon what we believe is best for the story & best for the DC characters who have been around for nearly 85 years," he said. "Perhaps these choices are great, perhaps not, but they are made with sincere hearts and integrity and always with the story in mind." Gunn and Cavill have also reportedly been in contact about another DCU role for the British actor, setting fan speculation alight.
With Gunn announcing that film and television projects will share the same actors from now on, there may be some fans rooting for Superman & Lois' Tyler Hoechlin to make the transition from the small screen. Hoechlin, who first appeared as Clark Kent/Superman on Arrowverse series Supergirl, has been starring alongside Elizabeth Tulloch as Lois Lane on their titular series since 2021, with the third season set to premiere in March. With The CW canceling every other DC series airing on the network and reportedly cutting down even further on scripted content, the future of Superman & Lois is currently up in the air.
Superman: Legacy releases July 11, 2025.
Source: DC