Superman: Legacy is the highly-anticipated reboot of the Superman franchise for the new DCU helmed by James Gunn and Peter Safran. In a recent interview, Gunn revealed what inspiration he took from Christopher Reeve’s 1978 Superman film when writing the project.
Fans have been wondering what the tone of James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy would look like ever since it was announced. It’s clear that Gunn wants a much different tone from Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel, which was directed by Zack Snyder, for his new DCU with Peter Safran. However, many fans worry that Gunn’s comedic streak may hinder the film’s sincerity.
James Gunn put these ideas to rest in a recent interview when discussing his top 5 favorite comic book movies of all time. Christopher Reeve’s Superman: The Movie secured a spot on the list, allowing Gunn to talk about what inspiration he took from it when writing Superman: Legacy:
“The thing they don’t talk about much when they talk about Christopher Reeve, they talk about his pureness, his hope, his goodness,” Gunn told GQ. “They talk about, you know, the way that he plays Clark as being so different from the way he plays Superman, and how he can turn that on in an instant. But there’s this playfulness about Superman, when he’s saving a cat, he’s got that wry smile. And that is one of the best parts of the movie is the playfulness of Superman. He enjoys what he’s doing. He likes helping human beings and he likes saving them.”
Clark Kent enjoying being Superman has been a recurring aspect of the character since his inception. For any fault fans can give Man of Steel, Zack Snyder still included scenes of Henry Cavill exploring his new powers with excitement. It’s a wonderful sign for fans that James Gunn is bringing that attitude into Superman: Legacy and sets the tone to come for the care he and Peter Safran are putting into the new DCU. Now all fans need is a casting announcement!
Superman’s DC Universe Future
Superman: Legacy is a much-anticipated project, given that Clark Kent has been an integral part of the DC Universe for over 80 years, with various iterations and adaptations across different media. The movie promises to explore the character’s origins and his struggles to balance his dual identities as Clark and Superman while fighting off villains and saving the world. The choice to focus on the early years of his career is a bold move that could potentially breathe new life into the character and appeal to a younger generation of fans.
James Gunn and Peter Safran told journalists that their vision for the DC Universe includes locked scripts, wiggle room and a unified storyline across film, television, animation and video game projects. The two explained that the DC Universe could bring back elements from previous DC regimes, meaning that their eight-to-year plan is not a full reboot.
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