What’s Come Before in this look at the making of Superman 2025: October 2022, November 2022
The Superman Reset Becomes Official
December 2022 marked a dramatic turning point in the Superman legacy. After years of fan speculation, conflicting reports and hopeful teases, the future of the character was finally clarified—and it was not the future many fans had expected. In a matter of days, Superman transitioned from a possible Henry Cavill comeback vehicle to an entirely new reboot, spearheaded by James Gunn as both writer and (soon to be confirmed) director.
The announcement came swiftly and directly from the source. On December 14, 2022, James Gunn took to Twitter to issue a detailed update. The post began with a commitment to transparency:
“Peter & I have a DC slate ready to go, which we couldn’t be more over-the-moon about; we’ll be able to share some exciting information about our first projects at the beginning of the new year.”
—James Gunn, Twitter, Dec. 14, 2022
And then came the bombshell:
“Among those on the slate is Superman. In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman’s life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill.”
—James Gunn, Twitter, Dec. 14, 2022
The post further confirmed that Gunn himself was writing the screenplay:
“But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we’re big fans and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future.”
—James Gunn, Twitter, Dec. 14, 2022
That same day, Henry Cavill posted his own message to Instagram. After a brief, high-profile return in Black Adam and a widely shared announcement in November that he was “back as Superman,” Cavill now confirmed that his time in the cape was, in fact, over:
“I will, after all, not be returning as Superman. After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life.”
—Henry Cavill, Instagram, Dec. 14, 2022
He closed the statement with dignity and finality: “My turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will. It’s been a fun ride with you all, onwards and upwards.”
Fan reaction was deeply divided. While some were eager for a clean-slate reboot under Gunn’s creative control, others mourned the loss of Cavill’s Superman—particularly given the sense of whiplash following his recent reintroduction. The move also triggered intense speculation about what this new Superman project would look like. Gunn took to social media repeatedly throughout the month to answer questions and offer clarification.
In a December 15 Twitter thread, Gunn emphasized that the upcoming film would not be another origin story:
“We’re not featuring Superman meeting the major characters for the first time. He’s simply younger than Henry.”
—James Gunn, Twitter, Dec. 15, 2022
He also confirmed that the script was already in progress and had been for some time, long before his official appointment as co-head of DC Studios:
“I’ve been writing a Superman film for a while (just a bit over a month).”
—James Gunn, Twitter, Dec. 15, 2022
Further clarification came in the form of a fan reply. When asked if the new Superman would be based on any specific comic arc, Gunn responded:
“Not exactly. I’ve been influenced by All-Star Superman & Superman For All Seasons & Kingdom Come & The Authority & lots of other stuff.”
—James Gunn, Twitter reply, Dec. 15, 2022
Meanwhile, media coverage focused on the end of the Snyderverse era and the uncertainty surrounding other DC characters. Reports circulated that the Wonder Woman 3 script had been rejected and that further changes to the DC slate were imminent.
Still, amid the turbulence, one thing became clear by month’s end: Superman was no longer a question mark. He was priority number one. And the journey under James Gunn had officially begun.