Supermanwas originally titledSuperman: Legacy, but James Gunn had good reason to change it. TheDCU’s Chapter Onerecently started through the animatedCreature Commandos, also created by Gunn, and will get its first movie through next year’sSuperman. Anticipation is sky-high for the reboot of the Man of Steel, and so all aspects of the film are being watched closely. One of the movie’s interesting aspects was DC’s decision to change the film’s announced title, and after a new explanation from Gunn, theDC Universechange makes a lot of sense.
ScreenRant’s own Rob Keyes visited the Superman movie set alongside other outlets in Cleveland, Ohio, in June, whereJames Gunn revealed the reason forSuperman’s surprise title change. Gunn explained that the change came from a process he describes as a “pre-mortem” of the movie, with Gunn and the department heads on Superman getting together before production started to think about possible problems the movie could have when it releases, in order to prevent them from happening.
That meeting led to Gunn realizingSuperman: Legacyhad “a looking back feeling,” when the DCU movie is all about looking forward.Gunn states that legacy is still a core theme of the film, withDavid Corenswet’s Clark Kentfinding his place in the world in theSuperman movie’s story. Check out the full quote below:
“James Gunn: Well, I still think it has that aspect of ‘Legacy’ in it. We do this thing called the pre-mortem before we started shooting. You ever hear of this? It’s great. We go into a room with me and all the department heads, and we say, ‘let’s say this movie is a colossal fuck-up.’ We find out two years from now, when this movie comes out, it goes terribly wrong. What are we doing right now that we’re not talking about, that we’re doing this, making this movie wrong? It gives a chance for all of the parties involved to speak their mind, whether it’s about the script, whether it’s about the casting, whether it’s about how departments aren’t communicating with each other. Everybody is allowed, from transportation to whatever, they’re all allowed to say what they think. And I found it extremely helpful.
And one of the things was, I thought maybe the title was they had a looking back feeling about it. And this isn’t about looking back, this is about looking forward, so, although when you see the movie, you’ll understand where Legacy comes from because it is, again, it’s about Clark and his relationship to the script. How many parents lose their relationship to human parents and whose legacy is he really? And so it’s about that. But I think as a title I felt it, it felt too looking back.”
What James Gunn’s Explanation Of Superman’s Title Change Means
The DC Title Change Was All About Perspective
There have been manylive-action versions of Superman, withDavid Corenswet’s Man of Steel coming after two recent takes on the character concluded— Henry Cavill’s in the DCEU and Tyler Hoechlin’s inSuperman & Lois. While the DCU’s first Superman movie will touch on the character’s legacy, be it through homages in its score, costumes, visuals, and more, the film is all about a fresh start for the hero. As the first project in James Gunn’s DC Universe,Supermanhas the job of ushering in a new era for the character and DC as a whole.
I Can’t Get Over David Corenswet’s First Superman Appearance Before His DCU Movie & Its Justice League Implications
David Corenswet’s Superman has appeared in the trailer for a DCU project before his Superman movie releases, and the Justice League could be involved.
Gunn’s comments on howSupermanwill follow Clark Kent as he finds his place in the worldexplains whySuperman: Legacywas chosen as the movie’s title. However, the director also brings along fine points related to the title change.Superman: Legacydid feel like it was looking back too much, like Gunn mentioned, and if the filmmaker’s desire with the project was to look forward at what Superman can mean to the world as it is today, then going for the simpleSupermantitle was really the best move.
Our Take On James Gunn’s Explanation Of Superman’s Title Change
The New Superman Movie Title Is Perfect
I think James Gunn’sSupermantitle change explanation makes perfect sense. While the core theme of the DCU’s first film could still be about legacy and Clark Kent trying to figure out where he really belongs, as a title,Superman: Legacydid sound like too much of a look at the past. Afterthe DCEU ended with many controversial moments and decisions, the studio is trying to start fresh and bring in an exciting new comic book universe with the DCU.Supermanis about the future and how the hero shapes it, so its original title did sound outdated.
Superman
Cast
Superman (2025): Superman follows the dual life of Clark Kent, a journalist in Metropolis, as he endeavors to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Set against a backdrop of personal discovery, the film explores his journey of identity as he navigates his existence in a complex world.
