While we’re sad to see Henry Cavill leave the stage as this generation’s Superman, the show must go on in the DC Universe (DCU). With “The Flash” set to reboot the entire DCU, Gunn has some major plans for the future of the franchise and it all starts with Superman! In his video announcement, the first film of his new lineup will be “Superman: Legacy”, a film that promises to explore a side of Superman we’ve never seen in cinema before.
We’ve seen the classic large-than-life, goodie-two-shoe version of the character in films like Christopher Reeves’ “Superman” and Bryan Singer’s “Superman Returns”. Zack Snyder explored a far grimmer and more complicated version of the character as a reluctant messiah who must take on the weight of the world. Then that all changed when 2017’s “Justice League” gave him a sunnier disposition.
With so much cinematic history behind the character, what brave, new direction will Gunn go to make his Superman one fans can root for? With the production of the film already in motion, let’s dive deep and explore how Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow will look in 2025!
The Man of Tomorrow
The first major departure from the traditional live-action cinematic representation of Supes is the fact that his film will be centred around a much younger, inexperienced version of the character. That being said, he’s made it very clear that it isn’t going to be an origin story that follows him from his youth. We’ve already gotten that with CW’s “Smallville”. Rather, it will follow him in an “earlier” part of his life as the Man of Steel. This was a rather similar approach to how Matt Reeves approached “The Batman” and it turned out to be absolutely superb! He managed to flesh out Bruce Wayne’s history without ever resorting to flashbacks or lengthy exposition. Rather, the lore behind the Wayne family fed into the conflict and character development of Batman.
One of the biggest gripes we had with Zack Snyder’s handling of the character was his approach to conflict. Superman is meant to represent the peak of power in the DCU, the closest thing to a god walking among mortals. We wanted an exploration of what his powers meant to him and the world around him along with the effects they have on his being, which admittedly the first half of “Man of Steel” attempted to do but it all felt too rushed. Superman is at his dullest when you put him in a punching contest against some big robot, supervillain or alien, which was mostly what we got in Snyder’s films. The whole gimmick of “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” was Superman’s brawn against Batman’s intelligence. It was so crass and demeaning!
Superman is at his most interesting when he’s confronted with moral dilemmas in a world trying to force him to compromise on his principles. The reason why Superman is so iconic is that for all of his powers and abilities, his greatest strength is his heart. Yes, it’s cheesy but it’s what makes him special! If you’re looking for a great example of a classic big-hearted Superman, you should totally check out the animated film “Superman vs. The Elite”. Anyways, it seems that Gunn’s film will be moving in this positive direction based on comments made by co-CEO Peter Safran stating: “It’s not an origins story, it focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He’s the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, he’s kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned”.
We’re not getting a sombre and dour Superman but rather the uncompromising gentle giant who will do everything in his power to save the day. So based on this little detail, we can deduce that the plot of the film will see Superman go to battle against an enemy who will test his resolve to be kind to others. Perhaps, this foe won’t pose so much of a physical challenge to the Man of Steel but more of a moral and mental one. Someone who is the cold and cynical ice to his bright, hopeful fire. Someone like Lex Luthor or Brainiac. Seeing that James Gunn claims to be taking inspiration from the “All-Star Superman” comic series in which Lex Luthor plays the main villain, we’re fairly certain Luthor will show up in the film. One character we know for sure is showing up is Superman’s biggest fan, Jimmy Olsen. This probably means we’ll also be seeing Superman interact more with the Daily Planet and Lois Lane as well.
James Gunn’s Distinct Style
While James Gunn has clearly expressed a love for the character and all he stands for, this is still a James Gunn film. This probably means that “Superman: Legacy” won’t necessarily be played completely straight and serious like with Snyder’s “Man of Steel”. Gunn has a pension of using absurdity and self-aware humour to poke fun at the medium his story is set in. In his “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, he presents a dysfunctional, morally dubious version of the Avengers. In “The Suicide Squad”, he pokes fun at the bloated rosters in ensemble superhero films by having a ton of his characters killed in the first 15 minutes. Then we have “Peacemaker” which was essentially his take on what if Captain America was a violent, damaged jackass.
That being said, he’s also shown that he’s able to write quirky and complicated characters really well with “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” being a poignant exploration of childhood trauma and family. Understanding his style is key to understanding how “Superman: Legacy” will turn out because the man is both producing, writing and directing the film. It is his cinematic baby! With the film being heavily inspired by Grant Morrison’s “All-Star Superman”, we can expect that the writing and comedy of the film will be less vulgar and edgy, and a lot more cutesy and warm. Superman’s naivete and general sweetness will probably be a recurring joke while also serving as the core of his character. We’ve never seen any meta or self-aware humour in a Superman film before so we’re curious to see how Gunn tailors his style to fit a character so pure.
“Superman: Legacy” is well underway with the script all finished and filming set to begin sometime in 2024. Come 2025, the world will welcome a brand-new Superman into the DCU!
I’m honored to be a part of the legacy. And what better day than #SupermanAnniversary Day to dive fully into early pre-production on #SupermanLegacy? Costumes, production design, and more now up and running. pic.twitter.com/TJYpCRmdsf
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) April 18, 2023
