James Gunn's Superman: Legacy has a new name. On the occasion of Superman's birth, Gunn took to Instagram to announce that the DCU's inagural film has been renamed "Superman."
Gunn wrote on Instagram, "Overjoyed to be announcing the start of principal photography on SUPERMAN today, February 29, which just so happens to be – coincidentally and unplanned – Superman’s birthday. When I finished the first draft of the script, I called the film Superman: Legacy. By the time I locked the final draft, it was clear the title was SUPERMAN. Making our way to you July 2025. "
The newly-retitled Superman will be a brand-new beginning for the DCU, so it's only appropriate that it should return to the beginning in some respects. It's an echo of the 1978 movie of the same name starring the late Christopher Reeve, which set the template for suphero films up to the present day. Unlike that film, though, Gunn's version will skip the famous origin story.
While little is known about the overall story, the pieces have been steadily coming together as production gets underway. Last week, Gunn shared the first photo of the cast featuring David Corenswet [Superman / Clark Kent], Rachel Brosnahan [Lois Lane], Nicholas Hoult [Lex Luthor] and more following a table reading. Milly Alcock has also been confirmed to be playing Supergirl.
Other films confirmed to be part of the DCU plan created by Gunn and Peter Safran include Supergirl, Swamp Thing, and The Brave and the Bold. The initial slate will be titled Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Superman is currently slated for release on July 11, 2025. For more, here's why James Gunn's DCU is perfectly positioned to supplant Marvel and a list of release dates for upcoming DC movies and shows in 2024 and beyond.
Kat Bailey is IGN's News Director as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.
