James Gunn's Superman Will Have One Important Thing Zack Snyder's Didn't
Superman is faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound — but is he funny? The answer changes depending on who is telling his story, and according to Zack Snyder, the answer is: no. From "Man of Steel" to "Black Adam," Snyder's Last Son of Krypton (Henry Cavill) is about as funny as a funeral ... and many fans hated every second of it. Critics and audiences alike questioned why anyone would transform an iconic beacon of hope into a brooding figure.
DC Studios seems to understand that this was a misstep because "Superman: Legacy," the first live-action installment in James Gunn and Peter Safran's newly rebooted DC Universe, plans to bring Clark Kent (David Corenswet) back to the light.
During a 2024 red carpet interview with the Associated Press, Lois Lane actor Rachel Brosnahan explained how "Superman: Legacy" will see the Marvel of Metropolis return to his more gentle, more friendly roots. "I think the best part about working on this [film has] been that from top to bottom ... we're all just nerds for this stuff," said Brosnahan. "Every single person involved with this production is such a perfect nerd for Superman. We all grew up watching movies, and some of us grew up reading the comics ... This Superman will have a sense of humor ... we're excited to both put our own spin on things but also honor the material we love so much."
Are the DCU's prospects tied to rebranding Superman?
DC obviously wants fans to understand that the new DC Universe will be different than Zack Snyder's DCEU, because all the press surrounding "Superman: Legacy" features commentary regarding Superman's changed temperament.
During a 2023 press conference (as reported by Yahoo!), Peter Safran said, "Superman represents truth, justice, and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned." In addition, during a 2023 interview with IGN, James Gunn described Clark Kent by saying, "He's a big old galoot. He is a farm boy from Kansas who is very idealistic. His greatest weakness is that he'll never kill anybody [and] doesn't want to hurt a living soul. And I like that sort of innate goodness about Superman as his defining characteristic."
Considering the sheer number of movies Gunn and Safran have announced for their DC reboot, the DCU will neither rise nor fall by Superman's hand alone, but there's a reason that they decided to begin again with a new version of the character. Zack Snyder's DCEU opened with a Superman project, too, and it set the tone for everything that followed. It seems as though Gunn and Safran intend to mirror that strategy, only this time with hopefully a different critical and fan reception. If all this plotting wasn't about a guy whose whole schtick is supposed to be innate goodness, Gunn and Safran's move would almost feel devious. And maybe it still is. As long as Superman doesn't break any more necks, though, audiences probably won't mind.