During a press conference, which Collider attended, to discuss their plan for the DC Extended Universe, new co-heads of DC Studios, James Gunn and Peter Safran revealed that the next Man of Steel movie is called Superman Legacy. As promised by Gunn last month, the upcoming film will not be another origin story, even if it focuses on the Son of Krypton/’s legacy and identity.
During the presentation, Gunn and Safran revealed a new slate of movies and series that’ll be released in the upcoming years, focused on fan-favorite characters such as Wonder Woman and less-knows IPs like the Creatures Commandos. However, any version of the DCU would not be complete without Superman, the hero that kickstarted the entire superhero trend. Fortunately, Gunn and Safran have a plan for the Man of Steel, as they are bringing him back to theaters in just a couple of years. As they shared:
“Our next project, feature film, is really the launch of the DCU. These first few projects are kind of, you know, an amuse-bouche for what is coming up with ‘Superman Legacy’. So, James is currently writing it. We certainly hope that he will direct it. It's not an origin story. It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Superman represents truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned.”
While it’s great to learn that there is indeed a plan for Superman in the near DCU future, it’s even better to know Gunn is writing the movie’s script. That’s because Gunn’s Suicide Squad and Peacemaker are arguably the best DCU productions so far. And since Gunn is now in charge of the entire DCU universe, it makes sense for him to handle the most crucial elements of his new overarching story.
When Is the Next Superman Movie Coming to Theaters?
The last time Superman came to theaters, he was played by Henry Cavill. Cavill took up the red cape for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, helping to build the DCEU universe as it is today. However, after the Justice League fiasco, fans imagined his time as the Son of Krypton was over. To our surprise, Cavill returned to the part for Black Adam’s end-credits scene last year, announcing his return to the DCEU soon after.
That was before Gunn and Safran took over as heads of DC Studios and decided to revamp the entire universe. As a result, Cavill didn’t sign any contract for a forthcoming Superman movie, with Gunn vowing to hire a younger actor for the part. The idea, as made clear in the press conference, is to reset the DCU and allow a new generation to build solid foundations that can sustain a cinematic project for many decades to come.
We still don’t know who’ll be wearing the red cape next, but Superman Legacy is set to fly into theaters on July 11, 2025.