is directing a Superman film.
鈥淪uperman: Legacy,鈥� which Gunn also wrote, is also set for a July 11, 2025, and fellow CEO of DC Studios Peter Safran announced Wednesday.
The film, Gunn said, deals with the superhero's journey to make sense of both his aristocratic Kryptonian heritage and his small town, midwestern upbringing as Clark Kent.
The legacy of Superman has been somewhat fraught recently. In October, Henry Cavill announced that he would be returning to the role starting with a cameo in 鈥淏lack Adam." Two months later, though, Cavill was back on social media with the news that he was out.
鈥淭his news isn鈥檛 the easiest, but that鈥檚 life,鈥� Cavill wrote. 鈥淭he changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build.鈥�
Gunn and Safran were announced as the new DC leaders just a few days after , replacing Walter Hamada, who had headed DC Films for four years. And Cavill as Superman was one of the casualties of the new guard.
鈥淚t has been a long road to this point,鈥� Wednesday. 鈥淚 was offered Superman years ago - I initially said no because I didn鈥檛 have a way in that felt unique and fun and emotional that gave Superman the dignity he deserved. ... Then a bit less than a year ago I saw a way in.鈥�
Gunn also said the release date is the same as his late father's birthday.
鈥淗e was my best friend,鈥� Gunn wrote. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 understand me as a kid, but he supported my love of comics and my love of film and I wouldn鈥檛 be making this movie now without him.鈥�
Gunn has for several years been the rare director to bounce between both DC and Marvel films. He first came to DC after directing Marvel鈥檚 well-regarded 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy鈥� films. When the Walt Disney Co. over old tweets that joked about rape and pedophilia, he jumped to DC and made the supervillain film 鈥淭he Suicide Squad,鈥� a kind of blockbuster do-over that followed David Ayer鈥檚 much-maligned 鈥淪uicide Squad.鈥�
He and the veteran producer Safran came aboard with several upcoming DC films already on their way to theaters, including 鈥淪hazam! Fury of the Gods鈥� (March 17), 鈥淭he Flash鈥� (out June 16) and 鈥淎quaman and the Lost Kingdom鈥� (Dec. 25). And he still has 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" coming on May 5.
鈥淪uperman: Legacy鈥� will be the first film in the new iteration of the connected DC Universe, followed by Matt Reeves鈥� 鈥淭he Batman Part II,鈥� which is set for an Oct. 2025 launch. That film, like Todd Phillips' 鈥淛oker鈥� sequel coming in 2024, will lie outside of the DCU.
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
