Development on a sequel to the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film Man of Steel (2013) began by October 2014, with Henry Cavill set to reprise his role as Superman. Plans changed after the troubled production of Justice League (2017) and the Man of Steel sequel was no longer moving forward by May 2020. Gunn began work on a new Superman film around August 2022. In October, he became co-CEO of DC Studios with producer Peter Safran and they began work on a new DC Universe. Gunn was revealed to be writing the film in December. The title Superman: Legacy was announced the next month, Gunn was confirmed to be directing in March 2023, and Corenswet and Brosnahan were cast that June. The subtitle was dropped by the end of February 2024, when filming began in Svalbard, Norway. Production primarily took place at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, with location filming around Georgia and Ohio. Filming wrapped in July. The film takes inspiration from the comic book All-Star Superman (2005–2008) by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, among others.
Superman is scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States on July 11, 2025. It is set to be the first film of the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane: A reporter for the Daily Planet who is a close colleague and love interest of Clark.[3][6][7] Brosnahan described Lois as "fiercely intelligent" and feisty.[8] She consulted with several journalists to help her portray Lois as a modern reporter, in contrast with the character's original comics appearances and previous portrayals.[9]
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor: The CEO of LuthorCorp and the arch-nemesis of Superman,[7][10][11] who hates Superman for having the power to do everything but not aligning with Luthor's own beliefs.[12] Hoult was inspired by Michael Rosenbaum's portrayal of Lex Luthor in the series Smallville, and chose to work out for the role based on the depiction of Luthor in the comic book All-Star Superman (2005–2008) by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely.[13] His son Joaquin shaved Hoult's head in preparation for the role.[14] Gunn took inspiration for the character from Brian Azzarello's limited comic book series Lex Luthor: Man of Steel (2005) as well as Jerry Siegel's "reckless scientific genius" version of Luthor in comic books from the 1950s and 1960s.[15]
Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason / Metamorpho: An archaeologist and superhero who can "transmute elements in his body into various forms".[17] Carrigan said it was refreshing to play a superhero after previously portraying the Batman villain Victor Zsasz in the television series Gotham (2014–2019). He felt that he could bring some "authenticity and truth" to the role by comparing Metamorpho's concerns about his abilities to Carrigan's own alopecia.[18]
Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl: A superhero with wings and various melee weapons. Merced's short 5feet 1inch (1.55m) height differentiates her from other DC Universe (DCU) heroes.[16] Merced felt that her role as Anya Corazón in the Sony's Spider-Man Universe (SSU) film Madame Web (2024) helped prepare her to play Hawkgirl, though she did not tell the Superman filmmakers about that role in case they did not want her to play both.[19]
Warner Bros. Pictures was planning in 2012 for the film Man of Steel (2013), based on the DC Comics character Superman, to start a shared universe,[40] which became known as the "DC Extended Universe" (DCEU).[41][42] They announced a full slate of DC films in October 2014,[43] prioritizing Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) as the second DCEU film after Man of Steel failed to meet the studio's financial expectations.[44] Despite this, they said an undated sequel to Man of Steel was in development with Henry Cavill set to reprise his role as Clark Kent / Superman.[43]Man of Steel director Zack Snyder said they had been considering the imprisoned Kryptonians from the first film and the character Brainiac as antagonists for the sequel before work began on Batman v Superman.[44] A Man of Steel sequel was in active development as a top priority for the studio in August 2016,[45] which Cavill's manager Dany Garcia confirmed the following month.[46]Amy Adams, who portrayed Lois Lane in Man of Steel, said in November that the studio was working on the screenplay.[47]Matthew Vaughn was Warner Bros.' top choice to direct the film and had preliminary conversations about it by March 2017.[48] Vaughn and comic book writer Mark Millar had previously pitched a new Superman trilogy prior to the development of Man of Steel, in which the destruction of the planet Krypton would not occur until after Superman had already grown-up on the planet.[49] After the troubled production of the DCEU film Justice League (2017), Warner Bros. re-thought its approach to DC projects.[50] By the end of 2017, a Man of Steel sequel was not coming "anytime soon, if at all". Justice League producer Charles Roven said story ideas had been discussed but there was no script.[51]
Before the release of Mission: Impossible – Fallout in July 2018, director Christopher McQuarrie and co-star Cavill pitched their take on a new Superman film, but Warner Bros. did not pursue the idea.[52] Later in 2018, the studio asked James Gunn to write and direct a Superman film, but he was uncertain if he wanted to take on the character.[53][54] He did not have a clear vision for such a film, especially since Superman was a well-known character unlike the Guardians of the Galaxy who he had adapted for Marvel Studios in the film Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).[55] Gunn chose to make The Suicide Squad (2021) instead.[53][54] In September, negotiations for Cavill to reprise his role for a cameo appearance in Shazam! (2019) ended due to contract issues,[56] as well as a scheduling conflict with Cavill's Fallout commitments.[56][57] The actor was reported to be parting ways with the studio, with no plans for him to reprise his role in future projects,[56] but Cavill said in November 2019 that he had not given up on the character and still wanted to do the role justice.[57] At that time, Warner Bros. was unsure which direction to take the character and was talking to "high-profile talent" about the property, including J. J. Abrams—whose company Bad Robot signed an overall deal with Warner Bros.' parent company WarnerMedia—and Michael B. Jordan, who pitched himself as a Black version of the character.[58] By May 2020, Warner Bros. was no longer developing a Man of Steel sequel, but Cavill was in talks to appear in a different future DC film.[59][60] In February 2021, Ta-Nehisi Coates was revealed to be writing a new Superman film that Abrams was producing.[61] The film was expected to feature a Black actor portraying Superman, with the potential for Jordan to take on the role.[62]
Development
Writer and director James Gunn (pictured during filming in 2024) became co-CEO of DC Studios in October 2022, by which time he had begun work on Superman
In April 2022, Discovery, Inc. and WarnerMedia merged to become Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), led by president and CEO David Zaslav. The new company was expected to restructure DC Entertainment and Zaslav began searching for an equivalent to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to lead the new subsidiary. Zaslav and WBD felt DC lacked a "coherent creative and brand strategy" and were underusing Superman.[63] James Gunn was hired around late August to work on a Superman film that was not a sequel to Man of Steel and would be standalone from the DCEU.[64][65] Zaslav spent time with Gunn while he was writing the script.[66]
Cavill made a cameo appearance in the post-credits scene of the DCEU film Black Adam, released in October 2022, and Warner Bros. was reportedly pursuing a Cavill-led Man of Steel sequel once again. Roven was producing and the studio was searching for writers. They wanted McQuarrie to direct, but he was unlikely to be available due to his commitments to Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning (2023) and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning (2025). Abrams's and Coates's film was still in development. Cavill's role in Black Adam was approved by Warner Bros. film chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy when they were approached directly by Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson. Johnson began promoting the idea of a Black Adam vs. Superman film co-starring Cavill.[67] The latter had signed a one-off deal for Black Adam and only received a verbal agreement that he would continue playing the character in the DCEU.[68][69] Cavill publicly announced that he would return as Superman for future projects,[69][70] and said his Black Adam cameo was a "very small taste" of future plans.[70] He said Superman would be "enormously joyful" moving forward.[71]Steven Knight wrote a script treatment for the sequel around that time,[72] which reportedly included Brainiac as the antagonist,[69] but Warner Bros. executives were not thrilled with his take.[72]
Gunn and The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran were announced as the co-chairs and co-CEOs of the newly formed DC Studios at the end of October 2022.[73] A week after starting their new roles, the pair had begun developing an eight-to-ten-year plan for a new DC Universe (DCU) that would be a "soft reboot" of the DCEU.[74][75][76] In mid-November, Gunn was publicly revealed to be writing a new DC film.[77]Andy Muschietti, director of the DCEU film The Flash (2023), expressed interest in directing a Superman project with a similar tone to the film Superman (1978).[78] In early November, Cavill expressed interest in a future project that explored Superman's "capacity to give and to love" the people of Earth and to inspire others,[79] and said he was looking forward to meeting with Gunn to discuss future opportunities.[80] Work on the Man of Steel sequel stalled later that month while Gunn and Safran were developing their plans.[81]
Tom King, a comic book writer working on the DCU, stated in March 2023 that Gunn was also directing the film,[89] which Gunn confirmed later that month.[90] At that time, Safran was confirmed to be producing the film,[1] doing so through his production company the Safran Company, with Gunn also producing the film through his production company Troll Court Entertainment.[91] Gunn was hesitant to direct the film, despite encouragement from Safran and others, until he realized how focusing on Superman's heritage with his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and adoptive farmer parents from Smallville, Kansas, would inform the characterization. Gunn felt emotionally connected to this aspect of the film because of his late father, whose birthday was shared with the film's intended release date.[1] Gunn said in April that the film's tone would differ from his Guardians of the Galaxy films,[92] and he suggested that Superman's dog Krypto could appear.[92][93][94]
Pre-production
Production design, costume design, and casting began in April 2023.[55][95] Production designer Beth Mickle and costume designer Judianna Makovsky returned from The Suicide Squad and Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).[96][97] Filming was set to begin in January 2024.[55] Gunn said the character Jimmy Olsen would appear.[98] He did not intend for the film to be a comedy and hoped it would differ from previous Superman films while respecting what came before.[55] Gunn completed the first draft of the script at the end of April. Production was not expected to be impacted by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike when it began in early May.[99]
Gunn took specific inspiration for the film from the comic book series All-Star Superman (2005–2008) by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, and included the cover art of the first issue in the film's announcement
Gunn was looking for an actor to play Superman who possessed the character's humanity, kindness, and compassion, and was "somebody who you want to give a hug".[101] Audition tapes for the main roles of Superman, Lois Lane, and Lex Luthor were submitted by early May 2023. Gunn began watching them later that month,[102] while he was storyboarding the film.[103]David Corenswet was a top contender for Superman and was set to do a screen test by early June. Jacob Elordi, Tom Brittney, and Andrew Richardson were also in consideration,[11][102] though Elordi declined to read for the role.[104]Patrick Schwarzenegger, Supergirl (2015–2021) guest star Pierson Fodé, and Jack Quaid—the voice of Superman in the animated series My Adventures with Superman (2023–present)—all submitted self-tapes for Superman.[105][106][107]Emma Mackey, Rachel Brosnahan, Samara Weaving, and Phoebe Dynevor tested for Lane;[11][102] Dynevor was one of the final contenders.[108]Nicholas Hoult, the runner-up to play Batman in the standalone DC film The Batman (2022),[11] was eyed for Luthor but chose to pursue the role of Superman instead.[109] Gunn considered A-list actors he had already worked with for Luthor and discussed the role with a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 actor that was reported to be Bradley Cooper.[11][110][111] Black actors were also being considered.[112] Testing took place using the label "Apex", a reference to a comic version of Luthor called Apex Luthor.[102][112] Other superheroes were expected to be established in the film's setting,[11] with casting underway for a Black actor to play Michael Holt / Mister Terrific and for an Asian or Latina actress to portray a character labeled "Blitz".[113][114]
In-person screen tests took place at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California, with Gunn and Safran in mid-June 2023. The actors tested in makeup and costume as Kent and Lane in the following pairs: Hoult and Brosnahan, Brittney and Dynevor, and Corenswet and Mackey.[109][115] The Kent contenders then tested in costume as Superman against Mackey.[109] One of Cavill's original DCEU Superman suits, which was in poor condition, was used for the tests. Gunn said Brittney "messed it up" and then it was "torn to shreds" by Corenswet, who was too tall.[116] Gunn edited the tests together to be played for a deciding committee that included Zaslav,[109] and the casting of Corenswet as Superman and Brosnahan as Lane was announced on June 27.[3] Casting for other roles was set to follow, including for members of the superhero team the Authority who were expected to be introduced in Superman: Legacy ahead of their own film.[109][32] Brothers Alexander and Bill Skarsgård were on the shortlist for Luthor. It was unclear if Hoult would return to try for Luthor again.[109] On July 11, two years before the film's scheduled release date,[117] the casting of Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, and Nathan Fillion respectively as the superheroes Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, and Guy Gardner / Green Lantern was announced.[16] Merced tested as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl for the unreleased DCEU film Batgirl,[118] while Fillion starred in several of Gunn's earlier films including as Cory Pitzner / T.D.K. in The Suicide Squad.[16]Anthony Carrigan, who expressed interest in playing Luthor, was cast as the superhero Rex Mason / Metamorpho the next day.[17][119] Gunn chose some of these actors some time earlier but had been waiting until Superman and Lane were cast before negotiating further actor deals, leaving little time to complete negotiations before the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike began on July 14.[17][120] In response to concerns that other superheroes would take away from the story of Superman and Lane, Gunn said those two characters remained the film's focus and the other actors were being cast for multiple DCU projects.[117] He later elaborated that a large cast of characters were included in the film because he wanted to explore Clark Kent's interactions with his colleagues and Superman's interactions with other superheroes.[121]
When the WGA strike ended in September 2023, Superman: Legacy was expected to begin filming in early-to-mid 2024.[122]Jason Momoa, who portrayed Aquaman in the DCEU, was reported the following month to have discussed portraying the character Lobo in either this film or a solo film;[123] he was later cast in that role for the DCU film Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2026).[124] The SAG-AFTRA strike ended on November 9, and filming was clarified to be beginning in March 2024.[125][126] Gunn said the film would still make its July 2025 release date.[127]María Gabriela de Faría was revealed to be cast as Angela Spica / The Engineer, one of the film's antagonists and a member of the Authority, in mid-November.[31]Madison Beer said she submitted a self-tape and unsuccessfully auditioned for a role, as did O'Shea Jackson Jr.[128][129] Hoult was in talks to portray Luthor prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike, and negotiations for the role were continuing in November,[130][131] when Skyler Gisondo and Sara Sampaio were revealed to have been respectively cast as Jimmy Olsen and Luthor's assistant Eve Teschmacher.[24][27] Gunn said Gisondo, Sampaio, and de Faría had been cast prior to the strike,[132] and the roles of Mister Terrific and Teschmacher were particularly difficult to cast and required many auditions.[133] Journalist Jeff Sneider noted speculation that the character Sam Lane would appear and indicated that Gunn's frequent collaborator Michael Rooker was linked to the role,[111] but Gunn denied that Rooker would play the character.[134]
In December 2023, Gunn's brother Sean was cast as Maxwell Lord for future DCU projects, after Pedro Pascal played the role in the DCEU film Wonder Woman 1984 (2020). The character was expected to be referenced in Superman: Legacy but it was unknown if he would appear in the film.[35] James Gunn confirmed that Hoult had finalized a deal to portray Luthor,[10] and Miriam Shor entered negotiations for an undisclosed role after appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[34]The Hollywood Reporter also said the cast included Sean Gunn and Pom Klementieff, who starred in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, before James Gunn stated that Klementiff was not involved in the film and Shor had not been cast.[34][135][136] He added that the film's script had been mostly completed prior to the writers' strike.[137] Gunn said in January that work on the sets, prosthetics, and visual effects models were underway, the costumes were being completed, and most of the actors had been cast.[138] Brosnahan said the film was being made with a lot of love for the source material, as many cast and crew members had grown up watching Superman films and reading the comics.[8] At the end of the month, Milly Alcock was cast as Superman's cousin Kara Zor-El / Supergirl. The character was reported to be making her debut in Superman: Legacy ahead of starring in her own DCU film, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.[139][140][141][142] Alcock had performed auditions and screen tests in costume on the Superman: Legacy set in Atlanta, Georgia, earlier in January.[142][143]
Pre-production work in Ohio began in early February 2024,[144] with the Ohio Department of Development announcing that Superman: Legacy would be partially filmed in Cleveland and Cincinnati. The film was awarded over $11million through the state's tax credit program,[144][145] based on a $37million spend in the state out of the film's reported total budget of $363.8million;[146] Gunn disputed the accuracy of this budget, which would have made it one of the most expensive superhero films ever made.[147] Also in February, Bassem Youssef said he had been cast in the film—reportedly as Rumaan Harjadi, the leader of a fictional Middle Eastern country—but his character was removed from the script. He believed this was potentially due to comments he made in October 2023 criticizing the Israeli government during the Gaza war. Gunn disputed this, explaining that he discussed a role with Youssef prior to the WGA strike but the actor had not been formally offered the part, and the character was removed after the strike ended and before Youssef's comments were made.[148][149][150] A table read with the cast was held on February 22, and Gunn revealed that Terence Rosemore was portraying Luthor's henchman Otis after having small roles in some of Gunn's prior films.[28] Zaslav said filming would begin the following week,[151] when Gunn announced that he had shortened the film's title to Superman.[152] He had come to feel while writing the film that it was about looking forward while the Legacy subtitle was about looking backward.[152][153]
Filming
Principal photography began on February 29, 2024, which is Superman's birthday in the comic books.[152] Filming took place in the Adventdalen valley in Svalbard, Norway, for one week to shoot scenes featuring the Fortress of Solitude. Gunn chose Svalbard for its natural beauty, landscapes, and similarities to the Arctic where the Fortress is located.[154][155] Filming occurred under the working titleGenesis.[144][156]Henry Braham returned as cinematographer from the later two Guardians of the Galaxy films, The Suicide Squad, and The Flash.[157] The entire film was shot using IMAX certified Red Digital Cinema cameras.[158][159] Filming was delayed from an initial January 2024 start by the SAG-AFTRA strike,[126] and was expected to last around four months.[160] Effects studio Legacy Effects worked on the film's practical effects.[161][162]
A police car (foreground) and a greetings sign (background) decorated with Metropolis decal during filming in Cleveland
In August 2024, Sean Gunn confirmed his casting as Maxwell Lord for the film.[36] The following month, Alan Tudyk was revealed to have a role in the film after previously voicing the character Alex Sartorius / Doctor Phosphorus in the first season of Creature Commandos (2024–25),[37] and Waid confirmed that Krypto was appearing in the film.[177] Gunn officially confirmed Krypto's role in October and explained that the character's portrayal was inspired by his dog Ozu, who was adopted soon after Gunn began writing Superman. He said Ozu was at first "problematic to say the least... I remember thinking, 'Gosh, how difficult would life be if Ozu had superpowers?' – and thus Krypto came into the script and changed the shape of the story".[39] Gunn began test screening the film by the start of December.[178] A day-and-a-half of individual pick-up shots were scheduled to take place in Los Angeles shortly after, which Gunn said was to "enhance the film" rather than reshoot any scenes.[179] Alcock was confirmed to be appearing in the film in January 2025.[33]William Hoy, Jason Ballantine, and Craig Alpert are co-editing the film, after they respectively worked on the DC films The Batman, The Flash, and Blue Beetle (2023).[180] Much of the visual effects team from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 returned to work with Gunn on Superman,[181] including visual effects supervisor Stéphane Ceretti.[182]
Music
In December 2023, Gunn said most of the film's score and major themes had been written, but the composer had not been announced because their deal had not been finalized.[183] In February 2024, he announced that John Murphy was composing the score after doing so for The Suicide Squad, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[184] In December, Gunn confirmed that Murphy was using a new version of John Williams's "Superman March" theme from the 1978 Superman film. Gunn considered Williams's score to be one of the greatest of all time and had associated his theme with Superman from the beginning of development on this film. He saw the theme's inclusion as one way for the film to harken back to past iterations. The film does not have as many licensed songs as Gunn's previous superhero projects.[185][186][187]
Marketing
Promotional on-set image of David Corenswet in costume as Superman
Gunn marked the beginning of filming in February 2024 by posting a picture of Superman's shield,[152] which commentators noted for its visual similarity to the character's costume in the Kingdom Come comic book, albeit with the classic yellow and red color scheme.[188][189] Safran promoted the film on-stage during Warner Bros.' CinemaCon presentation that April, with Gunn, Corenswet, and Brosnahan appearing via video messages.[190] The panel unveiled a full look at the film's Superman emblem and Gunn said he planned to attend the following year's event in-person with the cast to initiate the "Summer of Superman" in the lead-up to the film's release.[191] Gunn released a first-look image of Corenswet in costume in early May, which depicts Superman suiting up while an alien-looking threat attacks in the background. Commentary on the image focused on the return of red briefs, which were not included in the Man of Steel design. Elements of the costume were also compared to Jim Lee's design used in DC Comics' 2011 New 52 initiative, while the character's pose and the attack in the background led to speculation about Superman's characterization in the film and what threats he may face.[100][192][193] A display inspired by the film's Fortress of Solitude was included at Warner Bros.' Licensing Expo booth in Las Vegas later in May.[194]
Gunn released the first image of Krypto, alongside Corenswet's Superman, in October 2024 in honor of "Adopt a Shelter Dog" month.[39] A motion poster was released on December 16 featuring a slowed-down rendition of Williams's "Superman March" with an electric guitar opening.[195][196] Jordan Moreau at Variety described the poster as an homage to Christopher Reeve's portrayal of Superman in the 1978 film but though the music was quieter and "more thoughtful" than Williams's version. A teaser trailer for the film was also shown at a press screening that day ahead of a public release on December 19.[195] The trailer had over 250 million global views in its first 24 hours, making it the most-viewed and discussed trailer for a DC or Warner Bros. film in that time period.[197]WaterTower Music released Murphy's music for the trailer as a single titled "Theme from Superman (Trailer Version)" later that day.[196] The film co-sponsored Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl XXI on February 9, Super Bowl Sunday, with Gunn and Ozu appearing to introduce a new look at the film. A "Krypto Super Play" award was presented to one of the puppies participating in the game.[198]
At the end of February 2025, DC Studios hired Ricky Strauss, a former marketing executive at Apple TV+ and Disney, to consult on the film's marketing following the exit of Warner Bros. global marketing chief Josh Goldstine the prior month.[199] Safran said Zaslav had "rallied the entire company" behind the film in a similar way to previous successful Warner Bros. films such as Barbie (2023).[200]
Release
Superman is scheduled to be released theatrically by Warner Bros. Pictures internationally on July 9, 2025,[91] and in the United States on July 11, 2025,[152] in IMAX.[201] It will be the first film in the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.[84] In January 2025, the estate of Superman co-creator Joe Shuster filed a lawsuit against WBD, asserting that the rights to distribute the film in some international territories had reverted to them based on different copyright laws: the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia in 2017, and Canada in 2021.[202] Two months later, WBD filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, citing prior copyright lawsuits being rejected.[203]
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