James Gunn Doesn’t Want ‘Superman: Legacy’ Defined as a ‘Young Superman’ Movie
James Gunn isn’t ready for his Superman movie to be pigeonholed before he shoots a frame of footage.
The filmmaker and DC Studios co-CEO is currently hard at work prepping “Superman: Legacy,” the first film in his reimagined DC Universe that will star David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. In addition to introducing a new actor in one of the most iconic superhero roles in film history, the movie is responsible for establishing the tone for Gunn and Peter Safran’s entire slate of DC movies and shows.
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Despite Gunn’s famously transparent Twitter presence, little is known about the specifics of “Superman: Legacy.” Early reporting suggested that Gunn needed a younger actor than Henry Cavill to play Superman because his screenplay follows a young Clark Kent — news that was seemingly confirmed by the casting of Corenswet, who is ten years Cavill’s junior. But Gunn made it clear this week that he doesn’t want fans running with the narrative that he’s simply making a “Young Superman” movie.
A user on Threads recently asked Gunn whether his “Young Superman” movie takes place in the past, to which Gunn responded by writing “I was never making a ‘young Superman’ movie, just a Superman movie!”
Rather than disputing any existing reporting about the film — which Gunn also confirmed in December when he tweeted that “Superman: Legacy” focuses on “an earlier part of Superman’s life” — he appears to be calling for a more nuanced discussion of his film. In comic books, the “young” moniker often signifies a novelty story about a superhero that is removed from the main mythology — a description that Gunn almost certainly wants to avoid for a film that’s intended to launch a cinematic universe.
Throughout the process of developing the film, Gunn has made no secret of his affection for Superman as a character.
“I completely relate to Superman because he’s everything I am,” Gunn said in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “He’s somebody who is an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider, because he’s fucking Superman. And that’s kind of like what I feel like.”
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