Starting with his Superman reboot, James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy movies, The Suicide Squad) aims to reshape DC's shared universe across movies and TV. Here’s everything we know so far.
From Man of Steel to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has had its ups and downs. Its biggest issue being the mix of director-driven ambitions with muddled, inconsistent universe-building. While there were some remarkable wins, it never fully came together.
DC Studios, the new hub coordinating all of DC's efforts outside of comic books, was formed after the Warner Bros. Discovery merger and is being run by Gunn himself alongside long-time producing partner Peter Safran.
As for Superman (previously titled Superman: Legacy), Warner and DC Studios have ultimately chosen to let audiences know that this is a fresh reboot. While some characters from the DCEU will survive this reboot, others must change to work within the new narrative roadmap. Ongoing "Elseworlds" stories such as The Batman and Joker will remain untouched. In fact, Gunn has expressed major interest in producing more standalone DC projects.
While you wait for Superman to make his return, get your superhero fix by playing some of the best DC games of all time. More of a Marvel fan? We also have a list of the best Marvel games, as well as all the Marvel movies in order.
Superman Release date
Almost miraculously, Superman's pre-production was barely affected by the WGA nor the SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023. Further drafts of the script were turned in around the WGA strike and a handful of key actors were locked in before the SAG-AFTRA strike began in July, with the rest being onboarded right after it ended in early November. Filming began in late February 2024 and is expected to end in August.
Superman is currently scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States on July 11, 2025, with most major international territories likely getting it around the same date.
This places the DCU's big-screen beginning just a couple of weeks before Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four reboot and right after the next Jurassic World movie from Universal. So, expect someone to push their movie back or forward.
What is the plot of Superman?
While James Gunn is quite open about the entire creative process, Superman plot details are being kept under wraps. However, we have some basic info that could help us piece together a narrative close to the real thing.
We know for a fact Superman won’t be an origin story. Instead, the focus will be on how a young Clark Kent (aka Kal-El) balances his Kryptonian heritage with his 'normal' life as an up-and-coming reporter at The Daily Planet, living with his adoptive family in Smallville, Kansas. Gunn has confirmed that Lex Luthor will also have a major presence as the movie's main villain.
The presence of huge DC characters like Hawkgirl and The Engineer, who set up the connective tissue of the rebooted universe, raises lots of questions. Some fans worry that Warner Bros. Pictures and Gunn are rushing ahead with far too many characters too soon. However, Gunn has a track record of excelling at giving everyone something meaningful to do in crowded, live-action comic book stories.
Superman Trailers
It's not a bird, and it's not a plane, but it is the first teaser trailer for James Gunn's Superman. This thrilling first look at the new Man of Steel dropped on December 19, 2024. Check out the trailer below:
Superman Cast
Superman's cast is a packed one, with the right mix of well-known veterans as well as up-and-coming talent.
The cast is led by David Corenswet (Pearl) as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) as Lex Luthor.
They're joined by Isabela Merced (Madame Web) as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi (For All Mankind) as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion (Firefly) as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Anthony Carrigan (Gotham) as Rex Mason/Metamorpho, María Gabriela de Faría (The Exorcism of God) as Angela Spica/The Engineer, Sara Sampaio (Crisis) as Eve Teschmacher, Skyler Gisondo (The Social Dilemma) as Jimmy Olsen, Wendell Pierce (The Wire) as Perry White, Pruitt Taylor Vince (Bird Box) as Jonathan Kent, and Neva Howell (Ghosts of the Ozarks) as Martha Kent.
Moreover, James Gunn's brother and long-time creative partner Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) is expected to cameo as businessman Maxwell Lord (who was played in Wonder Woman 1984 by Pedro Pascal). Plus, Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) will briefly appear as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl ahead of her own solo movie.
Superman Director, writer, & crew
Gunn is also reuniting with a few of his The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 partners: Henry Braham and John Murphy for the cinematography and original score, respectively, as well as production designer Beth Mickle and costume designer Judianna Makovsky.
As well as directing the movie, Gunn is also the sole writer behind the Superman script. It is said to have taken heavy inspiration from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's All-Star Superman comics (2005-2008) as well as Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's Superman for All Seasons miniseries (1998), among others. Everything revealed so far by the writer-director and the cast seems to indicate they're trying to return to the character's 'boy scout' and hopeful roots.
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