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Look, up in the sky — it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s the return of the Man of Steel to movie theaters! Clark Kent will be speeding back to movies in 2025 with Superman, the character’s first solo movie since 2013’s Man of Steel. But, with the feature still a year and a half away, it’s worth asking: what do we know about the movie so far?

What is Superman?

Officially being referred to by Safran and Gunn as “the launch of the new DCU,” Superman (originally called Superman: Legacy) is the first movie in the new era of DC Studios output, which will see the majority of movies and television shows share one common continuity (projects like Joker: Folie à Deux and The Batman Part II will still be produced, but will fall outside of this new shared universe setting; think of them as Elseworlds stories). As such, it’ll be audiences' first chance to see the new DCU on the big screen, and an introduction to a canon that will also include Supergirl, the Green Lanterns, and more.

What Superman should we be expecting on screen?

There are eight decades’ worth of Superman stories to draw on when bringing Superman to the screen, and several different versions of the character inside that time. So: which era and version of Superman should audiences be expecting to see reflected onscreen?

It’s too early to say for sure, but all signs are currently pointing towards Grant Morrison’s take on the character being the primary influence; not only has DC been using Frank Quitely’s artwork from the Morrison/Quitely 2005 series All-Star Superman to accompany news of Superman: Legacy’s announcement, but Gunn himself has shared the book as reading material on social media before now, and also spoken about Morrison being an influence on the new onscreen DCU more generally.

Of course, “Morrison’s Superman” goes far beyond just All-Star Superman — importantly, there’s also their Action Comics run from 2011 through 2013, which spelled out the character’s early days in the 'New 52' era of DC, and showed a more rebellious side to the Man of Steel, as well as the more recent Superman and The Authority miniseries. Oh, and about the Authority...

Is the new Superman movie a reboot?

Yes indeed! The Superman we're going to meet in 2025 is not only a new iteration of the character, but exists in a ne iteration of the DC Universe on screen, dubbed by its creators the "DCU."

Just what is the legacy, anyway?

Though the word has been dropped from the title, using the term “legacy” in a project that’s intended to launch the new DCU is certainly a choice, and suggests that both filmmakers and executives are well aware of the pressures they’re dealing with in bringing a new generation of DC to movie and television audiences. If the original title was meant to refer to something more concretely inside the movie itself, though, the obvious question is… what?

Safran has said about the movie, “It’s not an origin story. It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Superman represents truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned.” Is the legacy Superman’s Kryptonian past, then, or perhaps the idea that being kind and helpful is an outmoded concept in today’s world…? Or, perhaps, both…?

(That Superman is rumored to lead into The Authority makes this a particularly interesting topic, given that the Authority is a famously morally grey super team. The comparison or contextualization of both concepts and attitudes together feels very intentional… but where is it going to lead, exactly?)

Who is directing Superman?

On March 15, 2023 James Gunn confirmed via Twitter that he would be directing Superman: Legacy, also sharing with fans his personal connection to the date and the character himself.

Yes, I’m directing Superman: Legacy to be released on July 11, 2025. My brother Matt told me when he saw the release date he started to cry. I asked him why. He said, “Dude, it’s Dad’s birthday.” I hadn’t realized. pic.twitter.com/ohQNV8nI4g

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 15, 2023

Who is playing Superman?

Not only do we know that Superman will be played by David Corenswet, we also know that Lois Lane will be played by Rachel Brosnaham. But that's not all. We also know that Nathan Fillion will be playing Guy Gardner aka Green Lantern, Isabela Merced will be playing Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi will be playing Mister Terrific. Whether or not that means we will be seeing the Justice League, only time will tell. There will also be an appearance from Metamorpho, making his big screen debut, with Barry's Anthony Carrighan taking on the role.

No images of the actors in costume have been released yet, but director James Gunn did share a cast photo recently.

We've mentioned The Authority a bunch so far, which makes the most recent piece of casting news from the movie notable: Maria Gabriela De Faria has been cast as The Engineer, who has been described in reports as one of the villains of the movie. Does that mean that the story of the movie is Superman versus the Authority...?

Who is playing Lex Luthor in Superman: Legacy?

As it turns out, Superman's arch nemesis has prior experience in superhero movies, with Nicholas Hoult - previously Beast in X-Men: First Class and the subsequent X-Men movies from Fox - taking on the role, according to reports.

Where is Superman filming?

According to local Ohio news staion WOSU, James Gunn and the Superman gang will be shooting around Cleveland and Cincinnati. While the source does share that over 3,200 Ohioans are expected to be hired, it doesn't clarify which areas of either city will be used to stand in for Metropolis.

When is Superman coming out?

Finally, a question with a straightforward answer! Superman will be released July 11, 2025. Even after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, James Gunn took to social media to confirm the release date.

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Read more about the new DCU and the many projects intended to appear.