Superman: Legacy's James Gunn Reveals His Favorite Underrated Superman Villains

By Cameron Bonomolo

What's a Superman without a supervillain? Superman: Legacy writer and director James Gunn has shared some of his favorite "underrated" Super-villains — who just might make their way into the new DC Universe Gunn is creating with DC Studios co-chief Peter Safran. In response to an inquiry about "underrated Superman villains," Gunn tweeted his answer: the energy and power-sapping Parasite; the cursed Silver Banshee; the Ultra-Humanite, a mad scientist who transplanted his brain into other bodies, including a mutated albino ape; and the demonic soul-stealer Lady Blaze. 

See Gunn's tweet below.

Gunn's Superman reboot is reportedly casting the Man of Steel's nemesis, Lex Luthor, and members of The Authority, the anti-Justice League that includes such cynical superheroes as Jenny Sparks, Jack Hawksmoor, Midnighter, Apollo, Swift, The Engineer, and The Doctor. (In January, Gunn and Safran announced Superman: Legacy alongside The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and Swamp Thing as the first wave of films in the DCU's Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.)

The official logline: "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." That would put Superman at odds with The Authority, who dole out their own brand of justice and take matters into their own hands to do what they believe is right.

Safran and Gunn have confirmed Legacy, about a younger Clark Kent, is "not an origin story" and is influenced by the 12-issue series All-Star Superman, writer Grant Morrison's "timeless" take on the Last Son of Krypton with all the iconography associated with the character: The Daily Planet's Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White, Smallville's Ma and Pa Kent, enemies Lex Luthor and Bizarro, Krypto the Superdog, and the Fortress of Solitude.

"It's hard, but we're looking," Gunn recently told Variety about finding casting Superman/Clark Kent for the rebooted DC Universe. "And we actually have some really great choices, which I'm excited about. But it has to be somebody who has all of the humanity that Superman has, but he's also an alien. It's gotta be somebody who has the kindness and the compassion that Superman has. And it has to be somebody that you want to give a hug."

Warner Bros. and DC Studios' Superman: Legacy is slated to soar into theaters on July 11th, 2025.

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