James Gunn’s new Superman movie has a new name, but why did the director/writer change the film’s name from Superman: Legacy to just Superman?
Why Superman: Legacy Was Renamed Superman
When James Gunn and Peter Safran took over the DC Universe, a slew of projects were announced, with the biggest one being the Gunn-directed Superman: Legacy, which would kick off their new cinematic universe. Gunn eventually revealed that he would be writing and directing this new Superman film, just like he did with the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. He quickly announced a title for the film, Superman: Legacy, and details of the movie’s story, which will focus on a young Clark Kent finding his way in Metropolis while dealing with both his Kryptonian heritage and life on Earth.
However, now that filming has started, Gunn has revealed (alongside an image of Superman’s crest inspired by the one in the Kingdom Come graphic novels) that the film’s title has been shortened to just Superman. This will be the first Superman movie to simply go by the character’s name since Christopher Reeve stood for truth, justice, and the American way in the 1978 film. Why the shorter title, though? Gunn, in his reveal, was pretty vague, stating only, “When I finished the first draft of the script, I called the film Superman: Legacy. By the time I locked the final draft, it was clear the title was SUPERMAN.”
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That doesn’t give us all that much clarity on the subject, but it is possible the legacy/heritage aspects of the screenplay started taking a back seat to the Superman storyline, especially with the massive cast of other heroes showing up in the film. It’s also possible that Gunn and Safran wanted to make it absolutely clear that this was a new beginning for the DC Universe, and sticking a subtitle on a movie makes it seem like a sequel or prequel. Finally, marketing could have gotten in his ear as well, telling him that the Superman: Legacy title was a bit confusing for a film that’s “not an origin story” but also kind of is.
Whatever the real reason for the name change, it should not be considered a sign of any issues with the film or its production. Title changes happen, and Gunn’s track record speaks for itself in delivering both high-quality and reverential comic book films.
And that’s why Superman: Legacy was renamed Superman.
