Many fans were skeptical when it was announced that DC Studios co-head James Gunn would be writing and directing the upcoming Superman: Legacy reboot, primarily due to his history of irreverent comedy films. However, Gunn assures fans his take will be fresh while also respecting the legacy of such an important character.
James Gunn has made his mark on the superhero genre through his writing and directing of many landmark films such as Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad, the latter of which landed him a job as the co-chair of DC Studios with Peter Safran. However, given much of his success has been from taking lesser-known characters and reinventing them for action-comedy films, Superman fans are skeptical of his ability to adapt the most well known superhero in history. Gunn himself is even aware of this pattern, stating that it was the reason he originally turned down the offer to write a Superman film when he was first offered it in 2018:
“It’s easier to take a character nobody knows, like the Guardians, or Peacemaker, and then do whatever you want with them,” Gunn told The Hollywood Reporter. “People in every single country in the world know the story of Superman. How can I make it different from the Superman movies that have been made so far, but also have it respect all the Superman movies that have been made so far? So it just took me some time to try to figure it out.”
James Gunn went on to promise that Superman: Legacy wouldn’t be a quirky comedy that he’s famous for and that he is intent on making a truly sincere superhero movie. It’s also by far not the first film he’s written that attempts to be taken seriously. Gunn has been a writer in the industry for over 25 years. While he’s written his fair share of comedies during that time, Gunn has also penned dramas like Dawn of the Dead and The Belko Experiment. While this film may be outside of the range fans expect from him, they should rest assured he has the credentials to make an amazing film.
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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