Superman: Legacy is no more – but don't worry, the iconic DC superhero's next big-screen adventure hasn't been cancelled.
Indeed, the first film in the reborn DC Cinematic Universe (DCU) has simply undergone a name change. Revealed by DC Studios co-head James Gunn on Instagram yesterday (February 29) to celebrate the Man of Steel's birthday, the movie will simply be known as Superman moving forward.
That's not the only surprise that Gunn, who also wrote the script and will direct the DCU Chapter One's opener, had in store. Accompanying the new title reveal was our very first look at the legendary hero's new suit – well, it's an extreme close-up of the Kryptonian's suit logo, anyway. It bears all the hallmarks of the classic art deco design, though – bold red and yellow hues, the iconic 'S' centerpiece, and blue trimming; the last of those being the primary color associated with Superman's famous suit, and the color his new suit is likely to mostly comprise of.
The snowflakes resting on the suit all but confirm that Superman will feature the character's famous, Arctic-based Fortress of Solitude. In the comics, the Fortress of Solitude is the place where Kal-El (known on Earth as Clark Kent) learned of his Kryptonian heritage and why he was sent to our planet. Gunn has already confirmed that his Superman film won't be an origins story, so we'll either see Kent operating out of his frosty base of operations throughout the movie, or get a flashback scene or two that shows him finding his suit, learning about his past, and assuming the Superman mantle.
The film's title change and suit/logo unveiling coincided with principal photography beginning on Superman. Seven days earlier, Gunn posted a selfie on Instagram – with the film's primary ensemble cast – following the group's first table read. According to The Wrap, the shoot will last for four months, which will give Gunn and the movie's hundreds-strong crew around 12 months to get it ready for its schedule July 11, 2025 release.
A new kingdom awaits
The reveal of Superman's new suit logo seemingly offers further proof that the DCU's first film will be inspired by the DC comic-book series Kingdom Come.
For one, the logo itself appears to be heavily influenced by the one that adorns Superman's costume in the 1996 Elseworlds four-issue run. The image above reveals how strikingly similar Superman's Kingdom Come emblem is to the one seen in Gunn's Instagram post.
More evidence can be found in a reply from Gunn to a fan on Threads. As the screenshot below reveals, Gunn confirmed that the work of Alex Ross – who co-created Kingdom Come – was a big inspiration for the suit's look.
This isn't the first we've heard of Gunn's Superman potentially taking its cues from Kingdom Come. During the aforementioned table read, Isabela Merced – who will play Hawkgirl in the highly anticipated flick – leaked the movie's logo on social media (thanks to DCULeaks' Reddit page for the catch) before deleting her post. With the Kingdom Come-inspired emblem out in the wild, some fans have speculated that 2025's Superman might reuse Kingdom Come's plot, which sees an older, burned-out Clark Kent rediscover his purpose through the next generation of superheroes.
"What if [Superman] Legacy is a reverse Kingdom Come?" Reddit user Spiderlander opined. "What if, instead of a jaded, older Superman bringing back traditional values to younger heroes, we get a younger, fresher Superman bringing traditional values to older, jaded heroes?"
All signs, then, appear to be pointing towards Gunn's Superman tale originating from Kingdom Come. It'll be some time before we get official confirmation one way or another) via an official story synopsis, though. In the meantime, you can read up on how to watch the DC movies in order chronologically or via their release dates. Alternatively, go and watch any of the previous Superman movies on Max (US), Sky (UK), Binge (Australia), or – for a limited time – on Netflix worldwide.
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