Just when you’d gotten used to the sound of Superman: Legacy, James Gunn—the film’s writer and director, as well as co-head of DC Studios—has a slight adjustment to make. In a social media post marking today’s start of filming, Gunn updated the title to just be… Superman.
“Overjoyed to be announcing the start of principal photography on SUPERMAN today, February 29, which just so happens to be – coincidentally and unplanned – Superman’s birthday,” Gunn wrote on Instagram. “When I finished the first draft of the script, I called the film Superman: Legacy. By the time I locked the final draft, it was clear the title was SUPERMAN. Making our way to you July 2025.”
Here’s the full image below, which shows a glimpse of the movie’s Superman suit costume. Looks like the Man of Steel is enduring a bit of winter weather?
Before anyone complains that this is yet another redundant title in a long-running franchise (looking at you, 2022’s Scream and 2018’s Halloween), this is sort of the first time we’ve gotten a movie simply titled Superman, since Richard Donner’s 1978 release is often referred to as Superman: The Movie, as io9’s Germain Lussier pointed out when we heard the news. It’s a slight variation, sort of how 2022’s The Batman was a slight variation on all the movies already called Batman.
With filming now underway for Superman, we’ll no doubt be getting more tidbits on the story beyond just this title tweak. Gunn’s cast includes David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor—as well as an ensemble with Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, and more. Happy birthday, Superman! And happy filming, Superman. The movie is due out July 11, 2025.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
