The Superman: Legacy title has been changed and many fans wish to know why that is the case. Is the film going to be based on the Kingdom Come storyline? Here’s all you need to know.
Why has James Gunn changed the Superman: Legacy title?
James Gunn changed the Superman: Legacy title to just “SUPERMAN” due to the way his script evolved.
While announcing the start of production and revealing the new logo on Instagram, James Gunn wrote in his post:
“Overjoyed to be announcing the start of principal photography on SUPERMAN today, February 29, which just so happens to be – coincidentally and unplanned – Superman’s birthday. 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. Making our way to you July 2025.”
Gunn’s upcoming film will be the first to have just “SUPERMAN” as its title since Christopher Reeve’s 1978 outing. Even David Corenswet’s Superman suit is very similar to Reeve’s, most likely paying homage to him while bringing the classic comic book Man of Steel to life.
Starting a new franchise, Gunn is going for simplicity and boldness. Dropping “Legacy” out of it makes it look cleaner and more declarative, hence the title change.
Is James Gunn’s Superman based on Kingdom Come?
James Gunn’s SUPERMAN is not based on Kingdom Come, only the logo has a visual similarity to the Kingdom Come version.
DC’s Kingdom Come (1996) by Mark Waid and Alex Ross takes place in a futuristic alternate universe and features an older, more experienced Superman. It is not the inspiration of Gunn’s Superman, who is almost the complete opposite. His take is lighter in tone as Corenswet’s Superman will be on the younger side.
The fact that the logo replaces Kingdom Come’s Red and Black “S” with Red and Yellow makes it seem that the film will almost be “Reverse Kingdom Come”. Furthermore, DC Universe Infinite recently revealed the comics that “SUPERMAN” is inspired by.
They include “Superman: Legacy”, “Superman: Birthright (2003-04)”, “All-Star Superman (2005-06)”, “Superman: Brainiac (2008)”, and “Superman: Ending Battle (2002).” So, we can be sure that Gunn’s SUPERMAN won’t carry a lot of elements from Kingdom Come, besides the “S” on the logo.
For more updates, check out how Corenswet’s suit looks. Also, look at how Dune: Part Two ends.
