What’s Come Before in this look at the making of Superman 2025: October 2022, November 2022, December 2022, January 2023
Superman: Legacy Is Officially Unveiled
February 2023 was the month that speculation gave way to confirmation. What had been swirling for months in the form of rumor, leaks and cautious statements was now made official: James Gunn’s Superman project had a title, a release date, and a defined place in a much larger shared universe. This was the moment Superman: Legacy went public—and became the foundational pillar of the new DC Universe.
It began on February 1, 2023, when Gunn and Safran held a press event for select Hollywood reporters to unveil the first wave of projects under their new DC Studios banner. Superman: Legacy was the clear centerpiece.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter:
“Superman: Legacy will mark the true beginning of the DCU. While the studio is releasing Shazam: Fury of the Gods, The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in 2023, Gunn and Safran made clear those films are part of the old regime. Legacy, they emphasized, will be the official kickoff of the new continuity.”
—THR, “DC Studios Unveils Chapter One,” Feb. 1, 2023
The article also confirmed that Superman: Legacy would be written by James Gunn, with a tentative release date set for July 11, 2025. Gunn and Safran described the film as the emotional spine of their newly christened “Chapter One” of the DC Universe—a chapter they titled Gods and Monsters.
Gunn himself tweeted shortly after the embargo lifted:
“Yes, I’m writing Superman: Legacy and it’s been a joy to bring this story to life. This isn’t an origin story, but it does focus on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way.”
—James Gunn, Twitter, Feb. 1, 2023
The phrase “truth, justice, and the American way” was met with considerable online buzz. In many ways, it signaled a philosophical return to a more idealistic Superman—one that had been increasingly absent from the darker portrayals in the previous regime’s continuity.
The DC.com official site simultaneously published an article summarizing the key announcements. In it, Safran emphasized the tone of Legacy: “He [Superman] is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned.”
That particular quote from Safran, repeated widely in media coverage, became a defining sentiment for the project. Gunn later reiterated the same idea on Twitter, quote-tweeting Safran’s words and adding:
“Exactly this. It’s a story about kindness, and what it means to live among people and do the right thing—even when the world doesn’t reward it.”
—James Gunn, Twitter, Feb. 1, 2023
Almost immediately, fan speculation turned to casting. Would Gunn go with an unknown actor? A recognizable face? Would longtime favorites like Lois Lane and Lex Luthor be included? Gunn remained characteristically tight-lipped but dropped a few breadcrumbs.
In response to a fan asking whether other iconic Superman characters would appear in the film, Gunn replied:
“Yes. There will be familiar faces. I won’t say who just yet, but yes, the Superman world is not limited to Clark.”
—James Gunn, Twitter reply, Feb. 2, 2023
Media outlets such as Deadline and Collider reported that casting had not yet begun, and that Gunn was still polishing the script. In fact, during an interview with Entertainment Weekly published on February 7, Gunn confirmed:
“I’m still working through the draft. We won’t start casting until that’s locked. But I have a very clear picture of who Clark is in this story—and who he isn’t.”
—James Gunn, Entertainment Weekly, Feb. 7, 2023
As the month continued, speculation ran rampant across fan forums and entertainment sites. A few early names were floated—David Corenswet among them—but Gunn took to social media to discourage wild casting rumors. On February 12, he posted:
“I’m flattered by all the interest in Superman: Legacy casting, but please don’t believe anything unless it comes from me or DC.”
—James Gunn, Twitter, Feb. 12, 2023
He added:
“There are no actors currently attached to Legacy. We’re still early in the process. More news when there’s something real to share.”
In the absence of casting news, attention turned to the film’s title—Superman: Legacy—which Gunn elaborated on briefly during a February 14 Q&A on Threads:
“It’s about legacy in every sense—what we inherit, what we reject, what we pass on. Clark is figuring out how to be both the son of Krypton and the son of Earth. That’s not easy.”
—James Gunn, Threads, Feb. 14, 2023
As February drew to a close, a few sharp-eyed fans noted that the film’s release date—July 11, 2025—would fall almost exactly 20 years after Batman Begins and 10 years after Batman v Superman. But the contrast in tone, intention and creative strategy couldn’t have been more distinct.
By the end of the month, Superman: Legacy had emerged not only as the new anchor of the DC Universe, but also as a litmus test. Could a sincere, optimistic Superman find his place in a modern blockbuster landscape? Gunn clearly believed so. As he tweeted on February 28:
“I believe in this character. I believe in his goodness. And I believe we need him now more than ever.”
—James Gunn, Twitter, Feb. 28, 2023
The script wasn’t finished, the cast hadn’t been chosen, and production was still more than a year away. But the vision was clear, the tone was set and the journey of Superman: Legacy had truly begun.