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 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 and a close colleague of Clark.[6][3] Brosnahan described Lois as "fiercely intelligent" and feisty.[7]
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.[8] Merced felt that her role as Anya Corazon 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.[9]
Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason / Metamorpho: An archaeologist and superhero who can "transmute elements in his body into various forms".[10] 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.[11]
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,[36] which became known as the "DC Extended Universe" (DCEU).[37][38] They announced a full slate of DC films in October 2014,[39] 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.[40] 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.[39]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.[40] A Man of Steel sequel was in active development as a top priority for the studio in August 2016,[41] which Cavill's manager Dany Garcia confirmed the following month.[42]Amy Adams, who portrayed Lois Lane in Man of Steel, said in November that the studio was working on the screenplay.[43]Matthew Vaughn was Warner Bros.' top choice to direct the film and had preliminary conversations about it by March 2017.[44] 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.[45] After the troubled production of the DCEU film Justice League (2017), Warner Bros. re-thought its approach to DC projects.[46] 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.[47]
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.[48] 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.[49][50] 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).[51] Gunn chose to make The Suicide Squad (2021) instead.[49][50] In September, negotiations for Cavill to reprise his role for a cameo appearance in Shazam! (2019) ended due to contract issues,[52] as well as a scheduling conflict with Cavill's Fallout commitments.[52][53] The actor was reported to be parting ways with the studio, with no plans for him to reprise his role in future projects,[52] but Cavill said in November 2019 that he had not given up on the character and still wanted to do the role justice.[53] 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.[54] 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.[55][56] In February 2021, Ta-Nehisi Coates was revealed to be writing a new Superman film that Abrams was producing.[57] The film was expected to feature a Black actor portraying Superman, with the potential for Jordan to take on the role.[58]
Development
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.[59] 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.[60][61] Zaslav spent time with Gunn while he was writing the script.[62] In October, Cavill made a cameo appearance in the post-credits scene of the DCEU film Black Adam (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.[63] 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.[64][65] Cavill publicly announced that he would return as Superman for future projects,[65][66] and said his Black Adam cameo was a "very small taste" of future plans.[66] He said Superman would be "enormously joyful" moving forward.[67]Steven Knight wrote a script treatment for the sequel around that time,[68] which reportedly included Brainiac as the antagonist,[65] but Warner Bros. executives were not thrilled with his take.[68]
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
James 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.[69] 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.[70][71][72] In mid-November, Gunn was publicly revealed to be writing a new DC film.[73]Andy Muschietti, director of the DCEU film The Flash (2023), expressed interest in directing a Superman project with a similar tone to Richard Donner's Superman (1978).[74] 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,[75] and said he was looking forward to meeting with Gunn to discuss future opportunities.[76] Work on the Man of Steel sequel stalled later that month while Gunn and Safran were developing their plans.[77]
In December 2022, Gunn said Superman was a big priority, if not the biggest, for DC Studios,[78] before publicly announcing that he was writing a new Superman film that would focus on a younger version of the character and would therefore not star Cavill. There was potential for Gunn to also direct the film.[2] It would not be an origin story for Superman,[79] and would focus on him as a young reporter interacting with key characters, such as Lois Lane.[6] Gunn and Safran met with Cavill to explain their decision and discuss potentially working with him for a different role in the future.[2][6] On January 31, 2023, Gunn and Safran unveiled the first projects from their DCU slate, which begins with Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Their Superman film was the first film in that chapter and was officially titled Superman: Legacy. It was given a release date of July 11, 2025. Safran wanted Gunn to direct the film.[80] Gunn said the film would take specific inspiration from the comic book All-Star Superman (2005–2008) by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely,[4] and the next day that comic appeared on Amazon's list of best-selling comic books.[81] The film was also inspired by the animated Superman short films from Fleischer Studios (1941–1943),[82] and by these comic books: the Superman: Birthright (2003–04) limited series by Mark Waid, Leinil Francis Yu, and Gerry Alanguilan; the 2008 "Brainiac" story arc from Action Comics by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank; the crossover event Superman: Ending Battle (2002) by Johns, Joe Casey, Joe Kelly, and Mark Schultz;[83] the Superman for All Seasons (1998) limited series by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale;[84] the Elseworlds limited series Kingdom Come (1996) by Waid and Alex Ross; Morrison's Action Comics run; and the story "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" (1986) by Alan Moore and Curt Swan.[82]
Tom King, a comic book writer working on the DCU, stated in March 2023 that Gunn was also directing the film,[85] which Gunn confirmed later that month.[86] At that time, Safran was confirmed to be producing the film.[1] 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,[87] and he suggested that Superman's dog Krypto could appear.[87][88][89]
Pre-production
Production design, costume design, and the casting process began in April 2023.[90][51] Beth Mickle and Judianna Makovsky returned in their respective roles as production designer and costume designer from The Suicide Squad and Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).[91][92] Filming was set to begin in January 2024.[51] 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".[93] He said the character Jimmy Olsen would appear,[94] and that he was not looking to make the film a comedy. He hoped Legacy would be different from previous Superman films while still respecting what came before.[51] Gunn turned in the first draft of the script at the end of April and the production was not expected to be impacted by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike when it began in early May.[95]
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
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,[97] while he was storyboarding the film.[98]David Corenswet was a top contender for Superman and was set to do a screen test at the end of the month or in early June. Other actors in consideration included Jacob Elordi, Tom Brittney, and Andrew Richardson.[16][97] Elordi declined to read for the role, feeling that it would be "too much" and "too dark" for him.[99]Emma Mackey, Rachel Brosnahan, Samara Weaving, and Phoebe Dynevor had tested for Lane;[16][97] Dynevor was one of the final contenders for that role.[100]Nicholas Hoult, the runner-up to play Batman in The Batman (2022),[16] was eyed for Luthor but chose to pursue the role of Superman.[101] Gunn was considering A-list actors with whom he had previously worked for Luthor, and discussed the role with a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 actor that was reported to be Bradley Cooper.[16][102][103] Black actors were also being considered.[104] Testing took place using the label "Apex", a reference to a comic version of Luthor called Apex Luthor.[97][104] Other comic book superheroes were expected to already be established in the film's setting,[16] 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".[105][106]Pierson Fodé, who appeared in an episode of Supergirl (2015–2021), and Jack Quaid, who voiced Superman in the animated series My Adventures with Superman (2023–present), both submitted a self-tape for Superman.[107][108]
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][101] The Kent contenders then tested in costume as Superman against Mackey.[101] 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.[110] Gunn edited the tests together to be played for a deciding committee that included Zaslav,[101] 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.[111][101] Brothers Alexander and Bill Skarsgård were on the shortlist for Luthor. It was unclear if Hoult would return to try for Luthor again.[101] On July 11, two years before the film's scheduled release date,[112] the casting of Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, and Nathan Fillion respectively as the superheroes Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, and Guy Gardner / Green Lantern was announced.[8] Merced tested as Barbara Gordon / Batgirl for the unreleased DCEU film Batgirl,[113] while Fillion starred in several of Gunn's earlier films including as Cory Pitzner / T.D.K. in The Suicide Squad.[8]Anthony Carrigan, who expressed interest in playing Luthor, was cast as the superhero Rex Mason / Metamorpho the next day.[10][114] 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.[10][115] 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.[112]
When the WGA strike ended in September 2023, Superman: Legacy was expected to begin filming in early-to-mid 2024.[116]Jason Momoa, who portrayed Aquaman in the DCEU, was reported the following month to have discussed portraying the character Lobo in either Superman: Legacy or a solo film.[117] The SAG-AFTRA strike ended on November 9, and filming was clarified to be beginning in March 2024.[118][119] Gunn said the film would still make its July 2025 release date.[120]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.[12] Singer Madison Beer said she submitted a self-tape and unsuccessfully auditioned for an undisclosed role, as did O'Shea Jackson Jr.[121][122] Hoult was in talks to portray Luthor prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike, and negotiations for the role were continuing in November,[123][124] when Sara Sampaio and Skyler Gisondo were revealed to have been respectively cast as Luthor's assistant Eve Teschmacher and Jimmy Olsen.[13][14] Gunn said Gisondo, Sampaio, and de Faría had been cast prior to the strike,[125] and the roles of Mister Terrific and Teschmacher were particularly difficult to cast and required many auditions.[126] Journalist Jeff Sneider noted speculation that the character Sam Lane would appear and indicated that Michael Rooker was linked to the role,[103] but Gunn denied that Rooker would play the character.[127]
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.[29] James Gunn confirmed that Hoult had finalized a deal to portray Luthor,[15] and Miriam Shor entered negotiations for an undisclosed role after appearing in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[28]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.[28][128][129] He added that the film's script had been mostly completed prior to the writers' strike.[130] Gunn said in January 2024 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,[131] while 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.[7] 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 (2026).[30][132][133] Alcock had performed auditions and screen tests in costume on the Superman: Legacy set in Atlanta, Georgia, earlier in January.[133][134]
Pre-production work in Ohio began in early February 2024.[135] Later that month, 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 had been removed from the script. He believed this was potentially due to comments he made in October 2023 criticizing the Israeli government during the Israel–Hamas war. Gunn disputed this, explaining that he had 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 from the final script after the strike ended and before Youssef's comments were made.[136][137][138] Also in mid-February, the Ohio Department of Development announced that Superman: Legacy would be partially filmed in Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio, and had been awarded over $11million through the state's tax credit program,[135][139] based on a $37million spend in the state out of the film's reported total budget of $363.8million;[140] Gunn disputed the accuracy of this budget, which would have made the film one of the most expensive superhero films ever made.[141] 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.[20] Zaslav said filming would begin the following week,[142] when Gunn announced that he had shortened the film's title to Superman by the time he had completed the final draft of the script.[143]
Filming
A police car (foreground) and a greetings sign (background) with Metropolis decal during filming
Principal photography began on February 29, 2024, which is the canonical birthday of Superman,[143] in the Adventdalen valley in Svalbard, Norway. Filming took place there for one week to shoot scenes featuring the Fortress of Solitude. Gunn chose Svalbard for its natural beauty, landscapes, and similarities to the Arctic.[144][145] Filming occurred under the working titleGenesis.[135][146]Henry Braham returned as cinematographer from the later two Guardians of the Galaxy films, The Suicide Squad, and The Flash.[147] The film was shot entirely in IMAX.[148] Filming was delayed from an initial January 2024 start by the SAG-AFTRA strike,[119] and was expected to last around four months.[149]
At the start of March, Wendell Pierce was cast as Perry White.[21] Filming at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, had begun by March 8 and was expected to last until August 2.[146][150] Filming was set to take place in Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio, for 37 days between April 1 and August 23.[135][139] Filming was also expected to take place in Macon, Georgia.[151] Later in April, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell were cast as Jonathan and Martha Kent.[23][24] In early June, Beck Bennett, Mikaela Hoover, and newcomer Christopher McDonald were cast as the Daily Planet employees Steve Lombard,[25][152]Cat Grant, and Ron Troupe. Hoover previously appeared in several of Gunn's films.[26] Characters from the animated DCU series Creature Commandos (2024) were expected to appear in the film by mid-June, and it was the intention of Gunn and Safran that the same actors would portray characters across animation and live-action in the DCU;[153][154] set photos revealed that Frank Grillo was reprising his voice role as Rick Flag Sr. from that series.[27]
In August 2024, Sean Gunn confirmed his casting as Maxwell Lord.[32] The following month, Alan Tudyk was revealed to have a role after previously voicing the character Doctor Phosphorus in Creature Commandos,[34] and Waid confirmed that Krypto was appearing in the film.[164] Gunn officially confirmed Krypto's role in October and explained that the character's portrayal in the film 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".[35] By December 2024, Gunn had begun test screening the film,[165] while 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".[166]Jason Ballantine and William Hoy are co-editing the film, after they respectively worked on The Flash and The Batman.[167][third-party source needed][168][third-party source needed] Much of the visual effects team from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was set to return to work with Gunn for Superman,[169] including Stéphane Ceretti, who returns as the visual effects supervisor from that film, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (2022).[170]
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 for the film had not yet been finalized.[171] In February 2024, he announced that John Murphy was composing the film's score, after previously doing so for The Suicide Squad, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.[172]
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,[143] 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.[173][174] Safran promoted the film on-stage during Warner Bros.' CinemaCon presentation that April, with Gunn, Corenswet, and Brosnahan appearing via video messages.[175] 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.[176] 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 the design used in the New 52 comics by Jim Lee, 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.[177][96][178] A display inspired by the film's Fortress of Solitude was included at Warner Bros.' Licensing Expo booth in Las Vegas later in May.[179] Gunn released the first image of Krypto, alongside Corenswet's Superman, in October 2024 in honor of "Adopt a Shelter Dog" month.[35]
Perry White is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the editor-in-chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet. The character maintains very high ethical and journalistic standards and is an archetypal image of the tough, irascible, but fair-minded boss.
Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill is a British actor. He is known for his portrayal of Charles Brandon in Showtime's The Tudors (2007–2010), Superman in the DC Extended Universe (2013–2023), Geralt of Rivia in the Netflix fantasy series The Witcher (2019–2023) and Sherlock Holmes in the Netflix film Enola Holmes (2020) and its 2022 sequel.
DC Comics's Superman franchise, based on the character of the same name created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in June 1938, has seen the release of various films since its inception. The character debuted in cinemas in a series of animated shorts beginning in 1941 and was the protagonist of two movie serials in 1948 and 1950. An independent studio, Lippert Pictures, released the first Superman feature film, Superman and the Mole Men, starring George Reeves, in 1951. In 1973, the film rights to the Superman character were purchased by Ilya Salkind, Alexander Salkind, and Pierre Spengler. After multiple scripts and several years in development, Richard Donner was hired as director, and he shot two films, Superman (1978), and Superman II (1980), at the same time, both starring Christopher Reeve. Donner had filmed 75 percent of Superman II before it was decided to finish shooting the first film. The Salkinds fired Donner after Superman's release and commissioned Richard Lester as the director to finish Superman II. Lester returned to direct Superman III (1983). The Salkinds also produced the spin-off Supergirl (1984). They then sold the rights to Cannon Films, which produced the poorly reviewed Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). Ilya Salkind commissioned a fifth Superman script before Warner Bros. acquired the rights in 1993.
Man of Steel is a 2013 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Superman. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, DC Entertainment, and Syncopy, it was directed by Zack Snyder from a screenplay written by David S. Goyer who developed the story with producer Christopher Nolan. The film is a reboot of the Superman film series, depicting the character's origin story, and it is the first installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Man of Steel stars Henry Cavill as Superman in the title role along with Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, and Russell Crowe. In the film, Clark Kent learns that he is a superpowered alien from the planet Krypton. He assumes the role of mankind's protector as Superman, making the choice to face General Zod and prevent him from destroying humanity.
The Flash is a 2023 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash. Directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Christina Hodson and a story by Joby Harold and the writing team of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, it is the 13th film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Ezra Miller stars as Barry, who travels back in time to prevent his mother's death and becomes stranded in an alternate past. Sasha Calle also stars in her film debut, alongside Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, and Michael Keaton.
DC Studios is an American film and television production company that is a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). It is responsible for the production of live-action and animated films and television series, as well as some video games, based on characters from the American comic book publisher DC Comics, primarily as part of its flagship media franchise and shared universe, the DC Universe (DCU). The studio has been led by filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran as its co-chairmen and co-CEOs since it was formed in November 2022.
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The DCEU also includes comic books, short films, novels, and video games. Like the original DC Universe in comic books, the DCEU is established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.
Black Adam is a 2022 American superhero film based on the DC character of the same name. Produced by New Line Cinema, DC Films, Seven Bucks Productions, and FlynnPictureCo. and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is a spin-off from Shazam! (2019) and the eleventh film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra from a screenplay by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani, the film stars Dwayne Johnson as Teth-Adam / Black Adam, an ancient superhuman who is released from his magic imprisonment by a group of archeologists to free the nation of Kahndaq from the crime syndicate Intergang, whose local leader plans to obtain an ancient relic called the Crown of Sabbac to take control of it. Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Quintessa Swindell, Marwan Kenzari and Pierce Brosnan appear in supporting roles.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a 2023 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Aquaman. Directed by James Wan from a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, it is the sequel to Aquaman (2018) and the 15th and final film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Jason Momoa stars as Arthur Curry / Aquaman, who must work with his half-brother Orm to prevent Black Manta from killing his family and using the cursed Black Trident to overheat the world while searching for the lost seventh kingdom of the seas. Amber Heard, Randall Park, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, Martin Short, and Nicole Kidman also star in supporting roles.
Batgirl is an unreleased American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Barbara Gordon / Batgirl. Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah from a screenplay by Christina Hodson, the film starred Leslie Grace as Batgirl alongside J. K. Simmons, Jacob Scipio, Brendan Fraser, Michael Keaton, and Ivory Aquino. The film was produced by DC Films for the streaming service HBO Max and was intended to be an installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
David Packard Corenswet is an American actor. After graduating from Juilliard in 2016, he began guest starring in television series, including House of Cards in 2018. He then played lead roles in the Netflix series The Politician (2019–2020) and Hollywood (2020), both created by Ryan Murphy. He starred in the films Look Both Ways and Pearl, and the HBO miniseries We Own This City. In 2024, he had supporting roles in the film Twisters and the miniseries Lady in the Lake. He will star in the first DC Universe (DCU) film Superman (2025) as the title character.
Clark Joseph Kent, best known by his superhero persona Superman, is a superhero in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) series of films, based on the DC Comics character of the same name created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. In the films, he is a survivor from the destroyed planet Krypton who lands on Earth and develops superhuman abilities due to environmental differences between the planets and their respective star systems.
Bruce Wayne, also known by his superhero vigilante alias Batman, is a fictional character in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The character was portrayed by Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's 2016 superhero film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the 2017 film Justice League, Suicide Squad (2016), and The Flash (2023). Fans nicknamed this iteration of the character "Batfleck", a portmanteau of "Batman" and "Affleck". In the films' universe, Bruce had already been active as Batman for twenty years before the emergence of Superman, and despite being initially at odds with him to the point of paranoia and anger, Batman comes to appreciate the former, starting the Justice League in his honor after Superman's sacrifice to stop Doomsday. The Justice League, under Wayne's leadership, fights to prevent Steppenwolf from collecting the three Mother Boxes and destroying Earth alongside his master Darkseid, eventually resurrecting Superman to aid in their collective efforts.
Peacemaker is an American superhero television series created by James Gunn for the streaming service HBO Max, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The first season is the only DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series and a spin-off from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad. Set after the events of the film, it further explores jingoistic mercenary Christopher Smith / Peacemaker. It was produced by the Safran Company and Troll Court Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and with Gunn as showrunner. The second season is produced by DC Studios and set in the DC Universe (DCU), a "soft reboot" of the DCEU.
The DC Universe (DCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe based on characters from DC Comics publications. It was created by James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios. The DCU is a soft reboot of a previous franchise, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), retaining select cast members and narrative elements but disregarding others. In contrast with the previous state of DC Comics adaptations, the DCU features a united continuity and story across live-action films and television, animation, and video games. Concurrent DC adaptations that do not fit this continuity are labeled "DC Elseworlds".
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) media franchise has experienced a turbulent history since its inception in 2013, characterized by highly publicized clashes between studio executives and talent, constantly changing approaches to worldbuilding, and repeated changes in management. Warner Bros. Pictures originally announced plans for a shared universe of live-action films based on the DC Comics, starting with the release of Man of Steel (2013), with director Zack Snyder set to spearhead the franchise. Following the negative reception to Snyder's follow-up film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Warner Bros. created DC Films, a new division led by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg tasked with overseeing development of the DCEU. DC Films attempted to correct the course of the franchise, culminating in the troubled production and disastrous release of the crossover film Justice League (2017), which significantly deviated from Snyder's original vision.
Creature Commandos is an American adult animated television series based on DC Comics's eponymous team. Produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, it is the first television series and first installment in the DC Universe (DCU). It focuses on a black ops team of monsters assembled by Amanda Waller. All seven episodes were written by series creator James Gunn, with Dean Lorey as showrunner and Yves "Balak" Bigerel as supervising director.
The second season of the American superhero television series Peacemaker is based on the eponymous character from DC Comics. It is set in the DC Universe (DCU) and serves as a "soft reboot" of the series, which started as a spin-off from the 2021 DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film The Suicide Squad. The season continues the story of jingoistic mercenary Christopher Smith / Peacemaker. It is produced by DC Studios with James Gunn as showrunner.
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