When DC Studios announced their slate for Chapter One: Gods and Monsterswe learned that the DCU would begin with Superman:
Legacy. Since then, the director James
Gunn he eliminated “Legacy” from the title, but he has not yet explained why.
Talking to ComicBook.com
on the set of Superman earlier this summer, the writer and director of the reboot said:
“I think it still has that ‘Legacy’ feel to it. We do this thing called ‘pre-mortem’ before we start shooting.”
“We get in a room with me and all the department heads and say, ‘Let’s say this movie is a colossal mistake. We find out in two years, when it comes out, that it’s going to go horribly wrong. What are we doing right now that we’re not talking about, that we’re doing that’s going to make this movie wrong?’”
“This situation gives a chance for all parties involved to have their say, whether it’s the script, the casting, the way departments don’t communicate with each other,” continued Gunn.
“Everyone is allowed, from transportation to everything, they are all allowed to say what they think. And I found it extremely helpful.”
It was during those conversations that the DC Studios co-CEO concluded that Superman:
Legacy may give audiences the wrong idea about what they hope to see in this film. “One of the things was, I thought maybe the title… had a feeling of looking back, and this isn’t about looking back, it’s about looking forward”he told the site. “When you see the movie, you understand where ‘Legacy’ comes from because, again, it’s about Clark and his relationship with the script… and whose legacy is it, really?”
Superman himself, David Corenswet, insisted on red boxers
While Superman
may not be about looking back, Gunn is paying homage to the Man of Steel’s classic look on the page by incorporating his iconic – and often surprisingly divisive –
boxer rossi. Admitting that he initially chose not to use them, the director persisted in trying to find a way to make them work. However, it was Superman himself, David Corenswetto convince him to use them.
“We were trying all these different versions and did screen tests with and without boxers. And one of the things David said is that Superman wants kids not to be afraid of him.”Gunn recalled. “He’s an alien. He has these incredible powers. Shoots beams from his eyes, can blow up the truck. He’s incredibly powerful, he might be considered scary, he wants people to like him. It is intended to be a symbol of hope and positivity.”
“He dresses like a professional wrestler, he dresses in a way that makes people not be afraid of him, that shows it,” added the director. “That really impressed me.” “And I think trying to pretend that Superman’s costume doesn’t have some frivolity at its core, trying to make it serious, is silly because he’s a superhero. It’s the first, brightly colored, and that’s what it is. So that’s where we got to, and ultimately, we all got to a point where we almost all agreed,” he concluded.
What do we know about Superman?
Superman,
written and directed by James Gunnit won’t be another origin story, but the Clark Kent we first meet here will be a “young reporter” in Metropolis. It is expected that he has already met Lois Lane and, potentially, his fellow heroes (Gunn said that they already exist in this world and that the Man of Tomorrow is not the first metahuman in the DCU). The casting led to the choice of actors David Corenswet
e Rachel
Brosnahan like Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane. In the caste too Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi,
Anthony Carrigan,
Nicholas Hoult e Nathan Fillion.
The film has also been described as a “workplace origin story“, suggesting that a good portion of the film will focus on Superman’s civilian identity, Clark Kent, who is a reporter for the Daily Planet. Gunn reportedly turned in the first draft of his script before the writers’ strike, but that doesn’t mean production won’t be impacted in the future.
“Superman is the true foundation of our creative vision for the DC Universe. Not only is Superman an iconic part of DC lore, but he is also a favorite character among comic book readers, viewers of previous films, and fans everywhere.”Gunn said during the DCU roster announcement. “I can’t wait to present our version of Superman, which audiences will be able to follow and learn about through films, animated films and games.”. The film will be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.
