Nearly nine decades after his creation, Superman—the original superhero—returns to the big screen once again. Now, the iconic character is getting a fresh start as James Gunn launches the first film in DC’s newly rebooted universe.

Here's everything you need to know:

1. James Gunn Is Directing Superman: Legacy

Superman: Legacy, directed by James Gunn, is set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025 in the United States. It’s the first Superman movie under the new DC Studios leadership and the first to launch a unified DC Universe.

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2. Henry Cavill Will Not Return as Superman

Henry Cavill first took on the role of Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel and made a brief appearance as the character in Black Adam.

Despite announcing his return in 2022, Henry Cavill was later dropped from the role when DC Studios, now co-led by Gunn, decided to start fresh with a younger Superman.

"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," Gunn wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

3. The New Superman Has Been Cast

The film stars David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Additional cast members include:

• Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen
• Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl
• Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard
• Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner
• Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho
• Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific

4. Gunn Responded to Fan Backlash

Some longtime fans were upset about Cavill’s exit and voiced their frustration online. James Gunn publicly responded, saying he understands the emotion but emphasized this new story is part of a larger, unified vision for DC moving forward.

“I said from the beginning, If I don’t find Superman, I’m not going to do this movie. Because I knew that this was dependent on the guy that’s playing Superman,” Gunn told GQ Magazine. “I couldn’t go for someone that didn’t work. I couldn’t go for someone that had the look, but didn’t have the chops. I couldn’t go for someone that had the chops but didn’t have the look. I couldn’t go for someone that had the looks and the chops, but couldn’t do the comedic parts, or couldn’t do the more vulnerable aspects.”

5. It’s Just the Beginning of DC’s New Lineup

Superman: Legacy is the first installment in Gunn and Safran’s DC reboot. Other upcoming titles include:

• Lanterns — an HBO series focused on the Green Lanterns
• Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow — a feature film expected in 2026