James Gunn is officially attached to direct the upcoming Superman: Legacy for DC Studios and Warner Bros. Previously, it had been announced that the Suicide Squad filmmaker would write the script for the upcoming new iteration of the Man of Steel. But now, Gunn will sit behind the camera to helm the highly anticipated blockbuster as well. The actor set to wear the cape and tights hasn't been selected yet. As the studio went through a major restructuring process, it was confirmed that Henry Cavill would not return as the iconic superhero, instead the project will focus on a younger version of Clark Kent, who will try to balance his life as a superhero and as a journalist at the Daily Planet.
Tom King, who is a veteran DC Comics writer, previously hinted during an interview that Gunn would serve as the director of Superman: Legacy. Given how passionate the director behind Guardians of the Galaxy has been regarding his script for the upcoming Superman adaptation, today's official confirmation shouldn't come as much of a surprise. King wrote the comic book miniseries titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, a run that will serve as inspiration for a film focused on Kal-El's cousin set in the same universe as Gunn's movie. In that story, Supergirl has a very different perspective on humanity than Clark, after she grew up witnessing the terrors of war tearing apart the galaxy.
Besides Clark Kent learning how to manage his two jobs, the film will also see the character exploring how his legacies as a Kansas farmer and as a son of Krypton have helped him become who he is, and what that means for his future. Similar to other stories from James Gunn, such as Peacemaker, the protagonist will have to come to terms with who his parents are, and what he can do to create a story of his own. The movie is scheduled to fly into theatres on July 11, 2025, which coincidentally was Gunn's late father's birthday.
The Future of DC Looks Bright
The biggest doubt regarding if Gunn would direct Legacy or not came from the fact that he is quite busy with his position of DC Studios co-president, alongside Peter Safran. Back in January, the pair announced part of the first chapter set in this new DC Universe, including theatrical films, streaming television shows, animated series and video games. Titled "Gods and Monsters", the slate will deliver plenty of content over the second half of this decade, with Superman: Legacy being merely the first step of a franchise that will include characters like Swamp Thing and The Authority.
While you wait for Superman: Legacy to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025, you can check out every project Gunn and Peter Safran have planned for their DC Universe below: