Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
David Corenswet as Superman
DC Movies James Gunn says Superman was the "hardest" movie he's ever made
David Corenswet as Superman
DC Movies All-Star Superman writer Grant Morrison has some issues with James Gunn’s take on the character
Superman 2 concept art by Jim Lee showing Superman holding a screwdriver and buddying up to Lex Luthor, who is clad in his purple and green battle armor
DC Movies Superman 2 Man of Tomorrow release date, cast, plot and trailer speculation: Everything we know about the DCU movie
David Corenswet as Superman fighting back flames
DC Movies James Gunn claims he doesn't "care about prestige" as he says his goal is to "affect people in a "more spiritual way"
A legion of different incarnations of Brainiac
DC Movies James Gunn explains his comic influences for Man of Tomorrow's Brainiac, including the classic story he's not adapting
Supergirl poster
DC Movies James Gunn promises that Supergirl won’t be by the book
Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman standing in the rain during the DC movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
DC Movies Zack Snyder didn’t think Batman v Superman needed Dawn of Justice in the title: "They're just massive IP"
James Gunn
DC Movies James Gunn says he "originally said no" to being DC Studios CEO because he "didn't want to do what Kevin Feige does"
Milly Alcock as Supergirl
DC Movies Supergirl release date, cast, trailer and plot speculation: Everything we know about the DCU movie
Henry Cavill as Superman
Superhero Movies On its 15th anniversary, Zack Snyder unveils rare first photo of Henry Cavill's Superman in old school suit
Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman
DC Movies James Gunn says the DCU's upcoming Wonder Woman project is "definitely not" cancelled
Superman coming face to face with an eerie, inhuman version of Brainiac
Superhero Movies After a "worldwide search," the DCU's Brainiac has been found, and it's inspired by a "creepy" take on the villain
Martian Manhunter front-and-center with the Justice League including Plastic Man, Flash, Wonder Woman, Steel, Superman, and Aquaman
DC Movies James Gunn has shared a cryptic Superman set photo, and DC fans think it's teasing Martian Manhunter
Superman coming face to face with an eerie, inhuman version of Brainiac
DC Movies Braniac star says it's a "true miracle" that he was cast in Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow
DCU Chapter One explained: James Gunn smiling.
Superhero Movies DCU Chapter One: Every movie and show in the new DC cinematic universe
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies
  4. DC Movies
  5. Superman

Superman's James Gunn explains why 'Legacy' was dropped from the title: "When you see the movie, you'll understand"

News
By Amy West published 18 December 2024

Drop the 'Legacy', it's cleaner

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A still from the teaser trailer for James Gunn's Superman
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

When James Gunn's Superman movie was first announced, it was officially titled Superman: Legacy – but the subtitle was later dropped with no explanation. Now, the director has revealed why the one-word name suits the film better, telling fans that everything will become clearer once they see it.

During a set visit earlier this year, the new DC Studios boss recalled how he and his fellow creatives would do 'pre-mortems' throughout production, where they'd openly anticipate ways in which the movie could fail. Together, they discuss the script, casting, communication between teams, and more, for the purpose of highlighting what could be improved before it's too late.

"We go into a room with me and all the department heads and we say, 'Let's say this movie is a colossal f***-up," Gunn told ComicBook. "We find out two years from now when this movie comes out, it goes terribly wrong. What are we doing right now that we're not talking about, that we're doing this, making this movie wrong?'

You may like
  • David Corenswet as Superman James Gunn says Superman was the "hardest" movie he's ever made
  • David Corenswet as Superman All-Star Superman writer Grant Morrison has some issues with James Gunn’s take on the character
  • Superman 2 concept art by Jim Lee showing Superman holding a screwdriver and buddying up to Lex Luthor, who is clad in his purple and green battle armor Superman 2 Man of Tomorrow release date, cast, plot and trailer speculation: Everything we know about the DCU movie

"Everybody is allowed, from transportation to whatever, they're all allowed to say what they think. And I found it extremely helpful. One of the things was, maybe the title… had a looking back feeling about it, and this isn't about looking back, this is about looking forward," he detailed. "When you see the movie, you'll understand where 'Legacy' comes from because it is, again, it's about Clark and his relationship to the script … and whose legacy is he, really? And so it's about that. But I think as a title … it felt too looking back."

Starring Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, and David Corenswet, Superman centers on a younger Kal-El as he juggles his crime-fighting duties with his more human responsibilities at The Daily Planet. Beyond that, it's a bit of a mystery, though we do know Lex Luthor, one of Superman's most notorious enemies, will feature. The first teaser trailer, due to drop tomorrow (December 19) should give us some more insight, too.

Superman releases on July 11, 2025. For more, check out all of the other new superhero movies heading our way or our guide to DCU: Chapter One.

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Superhero Movies
Amy West
Amy West
Social Links Navigation
Entertainment Writer

I am an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things TV and film across our Total Film and SFX sections. Elsewhere, my words have been published by the likes of Digital Spy, SciFiNow, PinkNews, FANDOM, Radio Times, and Total Film magazine.

Read more
David Corenswet as Superman
DC Movies James Gunn says Superman was the "hardest" movie he's ever made
 
 
David Corenswet as Superman
DC Movies All-Star Superman writer Grant Morrison has some issues with James Gunn’s take on the character
 
 
Superman 2 concept art by Jim Lee showing Superman holding a screwdriver and buddying up to Lex Luthor, who is clad in his purple and green battle armor
DC Movies Superman 2 Man of Tomorrow release date, cast, plot and trailer speculation: Everything we know about the DCU movie
 
 
David Corenswet as Superman fighting back flames
DC Movies James Gunn claims he doesn't "care about prestige" as he says his goal is to "affect people in a "more spiritual way"
 
 
A legion of different incarnations of Brainiac
DC Movies James Gunn explains his comic influences for Man of Tomorrow's Brainiac, including the classic story he's not adapting
 
 
Supergirl poster
DC Movies James Gunn promises that Supergirl won’t be by the book
 
 
Latest in DC Movies
Aaron Pierre as John Stewart in Lanterns
DC Movies Green Lantern John Stewart is joining the cast of Man of Tomorrow as Aaron Pierre signs on for the Superman sequel
 
 
Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman standing in the rain during the DC movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
DC Movies Zack Snyder didn’t think Batman v Superman needed Dawn of Justice in the title: "They're just massive IP"
 
 
Ben Affleck as Batman in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
DC Movies Zack Snyder explains why Ben Affleck is the best big-screen Batman we ever had: “Of anybody who’s played Batman, Ben is the best Bruce Wayne.”
 
 
Zack Snyder's Justice League
DC Movies Zack Snyder says "we talked about" continuing the Snyderverse in a comic or animated movie
 
 
Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman standing in the rain during the DC movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
DC Movies Zack Snyder thinks "it's fine to make fun of Martha", but Batman v Superman criticism is coming from the wrong place
 
 
Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's Justice League
Superhero Movies Zack Snyder would "still make Dark Knight Returns as a film" even though he admits he did "steal" from the comic
 
 
Latest in News
White text on a black background says the title "Hadar"
Games Mysterious "new IP" from CD Projekt Red is now in early pre-development stages
 
 
A robot missing its lower body stares forward with a glowing red light while hanging from a suspended cable in Marathon's Cryo Archive
FPS Games Marathon's Cryo Archive is a weekends-only "raid-style" PvPvE map: "So please, do scream"
 
 
Stitch in Lilo and Stitch.
Live Action Movies New Disney CEO hits the ground running with Lilo and Stitch 2 and The Incredibles 3 release dates
 
 
Palworld
Survival Games "Apologies, Palworld gamers," but Pocketpair lead says an underwater level will never happen
 
 
The Witcher 4 tech demo trailer screenshot of Ciri chatting in a market
The Witcher The Witcher 4 is "steaming ahead" as CD Projekt expands with 220 new developers in the past year
 
 
Ascended Heroes Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box on a wooden table
Tabletop Gaming Ascended Heroes doesn't revolutionize Pokemon cards, but it's still an essential purchase
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Tinker Bell in Peter Pan
    1
    New Disney CEO hits the ground running with Lilo and Stitch 2 and The Incredibles 3 release dates
  2. 2
    "Apologies, Palworld gamers," but Pocketpair lead says an underwater level will never happen
  3. 3
    Is the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer hiding Peter Parker's transformation into Man-Spider? The comics explained
  4. 4
    The Witcher 4 is "steaming ahead" as CD Projekt expands with 220 new developers in the past year
  5. 5
    Ascended Heroes doesn't revolutionize Pokemon cards, but it's still an essential purchase

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...