James Gunn Says He’s Not Making ‘Young Superman’ Movie Despite Dumping Henry Cavill

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 necessarily making a “young Superman movie.”

The writer, director and co-chief of DC Studios went to Threads to clarify something about which there has been an assumption Superman: Legacy and the reason he moved 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 responded, “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 juvenile portrayal was a comment from Gunn himself about why he recast the role. He wrote on Twitter in December: “In the early stages, our story will focus 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 alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. They were among six actors testing for leading roles, with Nicholas Hoult and Tom Brittney also in contention for Superman.

Superman: Legacy will be released on 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 to be made entirely under the direction of Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran.

“I feel completely connected to Superman because he is everything I am,” Gunn said The Hollywood Reporter in April for a cover story. “He’s someone who’s an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider because he’s fucking Superman. And that’s kind of how I feel.”