Superman: Legacy enters pre-production – with an exciting tease from James Gunn

James Gunn / Max Fleischer's Superman cover art
(Image credit: Chung Sung-Jun / Warner Bros. Discovery)

Superman: Legacy, written and directed by James Gunn, has officially entered pre-production.

"I'm honored to be part of the legacy," Gunn tweeted along with the cover page of the script. "And what better day than Superman Anniversary Day to dive fully into early pre-production on Superman: Legacy? Costumes, production design, and more now up and running."

Superman Anniversary Day marks 85 years since the beloved hero made his first appearance in DC Comics.

Not much is known about Superman: Legacy just yet, though it will focus on a young Clark Kent as a reporter at the Daily Planet, and how he balances his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. 

The film was previously announced as part of DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, the newly announced slate of DC movies and TV shows from James Gunn and Peter Safran.

Despite Henry Cavill's appearance in a post-credits Black Adam scene, the actor will not be playing Superman in Gunn's new film. Instead, Gunn and Safran plan to find a younger actor to take on the role of Clark Kent – and have debunked several casting rumors already. "Haven’t had a single talk with a single actor about the role," he tweeted. "Just making private lists, prepping material for auditions."

Gunn and Peter Safran's new DC slate also includes a a new Batman and Robin film, a TV show about the Amazons, a Supergirl movie, and a TV show about Viola Davis's Amanda Waller

Superman: Legacy is slated for a July 11, 2025 release date. For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows

Lauren Milici
Senior Writer, Tv & Film

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for 12DOVE currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.