Why James Gunn's Rebuttal Over Superman Casting Has Me Cautiously Optimistic

In summer 2025, we’ll be introduced to James Gunn’s younger take on the Last Son of Krypton in Superman: Legacy. As DC fans await more details on the next era of Superman following Henry Cavill’s unexpected exit as the superhero, new rumors surfaced this week regarding who the filmmaker is considering for the leading role. Gunn dispelled them, but his response is starting to get me hopeful for what’s to come for the iconic hero.

On Wednesday, reporter Grace Randolph shared that the team behind Superman Legacy was “very close” to casting its lead, and it could be leaked soon. Gunn responded to her on Twitter saying he hadn’t had a “single talk with a single actor” about the role yet, but he’s currently making private lists and “prepping material for auditions.” Randolph then said she had “heard” Gunn’s top choice for Superman was 31-year-old Logan Lerman of the Percy Jackson movies and The Perks of Being A Wallflower. Check out the exchange:

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While James Gunn’s latest rebuttal from the DC movie rumor mill confirmed that casting for Superman: Legacy is still in early days over at DC Studios, I do seriously respect the transparency. He's really not letting one rumor go on too long without refuting it or letting fans know what's true and what's really going on.

And the idea that Gunn, who wrote the script and will direct the movie, is starting to form a list of possible candidates regarding which actor will play his version of Superman does get me somewhat excited. That being said, wow, am I still bummed Henry Cavill’s time as Superman is officially over and it might take some time before I warm up to the idea of Superman: Legacy.

Part of me gets it, Cavill was Zack Snyder’s pick for Superman and there’s a lot of baggage now and confusion regarding his Man of Steel appearances. Plus, James Gunn wants to make a Superman movie starring a younger Kal-El that will center “around Superman’s heritage — how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes.” That certainly sounds like a completely different take than that of the Snyderverse, hence the clean slate on casting.

Superman is clearly an important character to James Gunn considering the touching statement he shared when he confirmed he’d be directing. While the filmmaker and co-CEO of DC Studios was offered a Superman movie before and declined it, he said he found his way into the story, and it sounds like he’s really passionate about Superman: Legacy.

For the time being I’m cautiously optimistic about the whole thing. I’d imagine cameras will need to start rolling on the project sometime in 2024, so Gunn certainly has time to get auditions going in the near future and be on schedule for what will be the first movie in his DCU Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate.