Everything We Know About James Gunn’s ‘Superman’

On December 25, 2024By Littum

Starting with his Superman reboot, James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy films, The Suicide Squad) aims to reshape DC’s shared universe across film and television. Here’s everything we know so far.

From Man of Steel to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has had its ups and downs. Its biggest problem is the mix of director-driven ambition with messy, inconsistent universe-building. Although there were some notable victories, it never quite came together.

DC Studios, the new hub coordinating all of DC’s efforts outside of comics, was formed after Warner Bros. Discovery merger and is driven by Gunn himself together with long-time producing partner Peter Safran.

As for Superman (previously titled Superman: Legacy), Warner and DC Studios have ultimately chosen to let audiences know that this is a fresh reboot. While some characters from the DCEU will survive this reboot, others will have to change to work within the new narrative roadmap. Ongoing “Elseworlds” stories like The Batman and Joker will remain untouched. In fact, Gunn has expressed great interest in producing more standalone DC projects.

While you wait for Superman to return, you can get your superhero fix by playing some of the best DC games of all time. Are you more of a Marvel fan? We also have a list of the best Marvel games, as well as all the Marvel movies in order.

Superman Release Date

Still from the movie Superman (2025). Close-up of Lex Luthor holding a gun as he cautiously moves forward. He is a bald man and is wearing a black and white tuxedo. In the dark background there are blue colored lights that look like a computer server room

(Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros.)

Almost miraculously, Superman’s pre-production was barely affected by the WGA or SAG-AFTRA strikes of 2023. Additional drafts of the script were submitted around the WGA strike, and a handful of key actors were locked in before the SAG-AFTRA strike began in July, with the remainder taken on board just after it ended in early November. Filming began in late February 2024 and is expected to end in August.

Superman is currently scheduled to open in the US on July 11, 2025with most major international territories likely to get it around the same date.

This places the DCU’s big screen debut just a few weeks before Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four reboot and right after next Jurassic World movie from Universal. So expect naked to push their movie forward or backward.

What is the plot of Superman?

Still from the movie Superman (2025). A battle takes place in a sandy area by a large tent. A man is surrounded by several armored troops, but he continues to walk forward, unaffected by them and their attacks. Three orbs hover above him, beaming red light down on him.

(Image credit: DC Studios/Warner Bros.)

While James Gunn is pretty open about the entire creative process, Superman plot details are being kept under wraps. But we do have some basic information that can help us piece together a narrative close to the real thing.

We know that for sure Superman will not be an origin story. Instead, the focus will be on how a young Clark Kent (aka Kal-El) balances his Kryptonian heritage with his ‘normal’ life as an up-and-coming reporter at The Daily Planet, living with his adoptive family in Smallville, Kansas. Gunn has confirmed that Lex Luthor will also have a big presence as the main villain of the film.

The presence of major DC characters such as Hawkgirl and The engineerthat set up the connective tissue in the rebooted universe raises plenty of questions. Some fans worry that Warner Bros. Pictures and Gunn are rushing forward with way too many characters too soon. However, Gunn has a track record of excelling at giving everyone something meaningful to do in crowded, live-action comic book stories.

Superman trailers

It’s not a bird, and it’s not a plane, but it’s the first teaser trailer for James Gunn’s Superman. This exciting first look at the new Man of Steel dropped on December 19, 2024. Watch the trailer below:

Superman – Official Teaser Trailer – Warner Bros. UK & Ireland – YouTube
Superman - Official Teaser Trailer - Warner Bros. UK & Ireland - YouTube

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Superman Cast

The cast of the movie Superman all gathered together smiling for the camera.

(Image credit: James Gunn)

Superman’s cast is packed with the right mix of well-known veterans as well as up-and-coming talent.

The cast is led by David Corenswet (Pearl) as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) as Lex Luthor.

They are joined by Isabela Merced (Madame Web) as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi (For All Mankind) as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion (Firefly) as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Anthony Carrigan (Gotham) as Rex Mason /Metamorpho, María Gabriela de Faría (The Exorcism of God) as Angela Spica/The Engineer, Sara Sampaio (Crisis) as Eve Teschmacher, Skyler Gisondo (The Social Dilemma) as Jimmy Olsen, Wendell Pierce (The Wire) as Perry White, Pruitt Taylor Vince (Bird Box) as Jonathan Kent and Neva Howell (Ghosts of the the Wire). Ozarks) as Martha Kent.

Also, James Gunn’s brother and longtime creative partner Sean Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) is expected to play businessman Maxwell Lord (who was played in Wonder Woman 1984 by Pedro Pascal). Plus, Milly Alcock (House of the Dragon) will make a brief appearance as Kara Zor-El/Supergirl ahead of her own solo film.

Superman Director, writer and crew

3 people reading old school Superman comics.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Gunn also reunites with a couple of his The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 partners: Henry Braham and John Murphy for the cinematography and original score respectively, as well as production designer Beth Mickle and costume designer Judianna Makovsky.

In addition to directing the film, Gunn is also the sole writer behind the Superman script. It is said to have drawn heavy inspiration from, among others, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman comics (2005-2008) as well as Jeph Loeb and Tim Sales’ Superman for All Seasons miniseries (1998). Everything revealed so far by the writer-director and cast seems to indicate that they are trying to return to the character’s ‘scout’ and hopeful roots.