James Gunn is making a Superman movie with a younger actor than former Man of Steel Henry Cavill, but that doesn’t mean he’s making a “young Superman movie” per se.The writer, director and DC Studios’ co-chief took to Threads to clarify something that’s been an assumption about Superman: Legacy and the reason he shifted leads from Cavill (who is 40) to David Corenswet (who is 30).A fan asked Gunn if his “young Superman movie” is set in the past. Gunn replied: “I was never making a ‘young Superman’ movie, just a Superman movie!”To be fair, part of the reason fans assumed his story was going to be a youthful portrayal was a comment from Gunn himself about why he recast the role. He wrote on Twitter in December: “In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman’s life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill.”In June, Corenswet (Netflix’s The Politician) was announced as the new Superman along with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. They were among six actors who tested for lead roles, with Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney also in contention for Superman.Superman: Legacy will be released July 11, 2025, and Gunn expects to begin filming in early 2024. Other characters such as Lex Luthor and the superheroes The Authority will also be cast. The film is the first project that will be fully made under Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran.“I completely relate to Superman because he’s everything I am,” Gunn told The Hollywood Reporter in April for a cover story. “He’s somebody who is an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider, because he’s fucking Superman. And that’s kind of like what I feel like.”
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