James Gunn Teases Superman: Legacy Script as Film Hits Major Milestone

James Gunn took to social media today, celebrating the 85th anniversary of Superman’s first appearance by announcing that Superman: Legacy has officially entered pre-production. With Gunn’s script complete, the movie is now officially in the design phase, with Gunn saying that costume and set design (as well as some other departments) are up and running on the film, which is expected in theaters in 2025. The movie will serve as a clean start for the DC Universe, featuring a new Superman actor, rather than continuing the previous continuity established with Henry Cavill in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League.

The movie is part of DC’s upcoming “Gods and Monsters” slate, which was announced shortly after Gunn and The Conjuring producer Peter Safran were named as the heads of DC Studios. The pair reportedly report only to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and otherwise are able to shape their universe, a sharp contrast to the last decade of DC creatives, who seemed to be fighting against layers of management every step of the way.

“I’m honored to be a part of the legacy,” Gunn said. “And what better day than #SupermanAnniversary Day to dive fully into early pre-production on Superman: Legacy? Costumes, production design, and more now up and running.”

You can see his post below.

As Gunn and Safran revealed, the initial DC Studios slate for “Gods and Monsters” will include movies for Superman: Legacy, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Swamp Thing, and The Authority. It will include the HBO Max television shows Waller, Booster Gold, Lanterns, Paradise Lost, and an animated Creature Commandos series.

Here’s Warner Bros.’ first official synopsis for Superman: Legacy:

Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

Despite numerous rumors, there are no known candidates for casting, although now that the movie is in pre-production it would not be surprising if that process started soon. Gunn has been pretty good about shooting down fake rumors on social media in recent months.

Superman: Legacy will be directed by Gunn, and is currently scheduled to be released on July 11, 2025.