Chapter One: Gods and Monsters could not have asked for a more symbolically perfect opener than Superman: Legacy, the first official film of the new DCU. Written by co-CEO and co-Chairman of DC Studios, James Gunn, the movie will be the foundational breaking ground for everything that comes next. The CBM franchise is going through its Elizabethan-era equivalent in terms of creative outpouring and masterpieces and DC is only now beginning to step into an incursive exploration of its potential. Legacy will mark the beginning of that journey and set the bar for the future that is to come.
James Gunn Gives an Update on Superman: Legacy Casting
The Superman film will be a reboot of all reboots. Not only will Legacy define the beginning of a new and formative era of DC but it will serve as the point of reference where all the past complications endured by the franchise will be faced with erasure. With the premiere of Superman: Legacy, not only will the DCU Chapter find its genesis, but July 11, 2025, will mark the final day when the death of the DCEU saga becomes a tangible reality.
As such, any update regarding the James Gunn film has faced extensive scrutiny with each passing date. Even then, the mass curiosity has lingered on the sole factor of the successor to the throne who will effectively be taking over the role of the Kryptonian from Henry Cavill to play the Man of Steel on the silver screen. Frustrated with the impending revelation and the writing and directorial duties, James Gunn has recently made it clear to the fans that the casting reveal is still a long way out.
“A casting director hasn’t even been hired,” he tweeted in response to a fan’s query about whether the rumors of Gunn sending out a casting call for an actor aged 20 to 30 were true.
Superman: Legacy Needs to Be the DCU Magnum Opus
To temper down the mass outrage and disappointment aimed toward the previous regime, its components, the DCEU, Henry Cavill, and every other thing that went sideways, the formative saga of DCU needs to be good enough to make up for the past. Neither James Gunn nor his cast for the upcoming Chapter will owe their audience an apology or any form of repentance. But an acknowledgment of how an entire franchise tilted radically off the path of acceptance needs to be made heard.
As such, if Superman: Legacy cannot rise to the standard of its audience expectations and even exceed them, if possible, it will be just another Superman film that provides a stepping stone to the unification of a larger narrative’s arc. And for DCU, that cannot be an acceptable option. Whoever takes up the weighted burden of the red-caped god-hero will have to know the tumultuous episode that preceded his time and be humble enough to respect the past while fearlessly advocating for what comes next — something that James Gunn himself has been trying to do for the past 3 months.
Superman: Legacy will premiere on July 11, 2025.
Source: Twitter | James Gunn
