Alleged plot details have been shared for James Gunn’s upcoming Superman film, which was originally announced as Superman: Legacy.
Superman #53 Cover Art by Jerry Ordway (1991), DC Comics
According to X user Rejected Scooper, the film will see Superman stand out from other heroes given he has a no-kill rule while Lex Luthor is a war profiteer.
The scoop states, “Other superheroes are edgy and kill when necessary. Superman is an outcast among them for his optimism and no-kill rule, and ultimately inspires them to change their ways. Lex Luthor is war profiteering on an armed conflict in a foreign nation (called ‘Jarhanpuria’ per IMDB).”
Lex Luthor in Secret Files: President Luthor #1 (2001)
READ: James Gunn Explains Why He Changed The Title For ‘Superman: Legacy’
It goes on, “Superman intervenes in the conflict, and the U.S. government deploys a clone created by Luthor dubbed ‘Ultraman’ to arrest him. Ultraman deteriorates into Bizarro and goes rogue. Superman and his superfriends must stop him while Lois Lane and the Daily Planet staff work to expose Luthor for his crimes.”
The scoop concludes, “Movie reportedly ends with Superman revealing his secret identity to Lois, Luthor avoiding repercussions for his crimes and announcing he is running for President, and Supergirl arriving on Earth, plus other DCU setups like the Engineer getting recruited into the Authority.”
RejectedScooper on X
A set photo does show Superman being arrested by what looks to be government officials and a masked superhero that could be Ultraman. There is a character in a black suit, mask, and goggles similar to Black Noir from The Boys. However, he has a U on his chest.
#Superman pic.twitter.com/1mvsWOIzoj
— MEAD The 4K💿 Master (Tom Connors) (@ThomasConnorsJr) June 26, 2024
READ: James Gunn Claims “None” Of ‘Superman: Legacy’ Will Be Dedicated To Superman’s Origin Story
As far as the armed conflict in a foreign nation, this appears to confirm previous rumors from YouTuber and scooper Grace Randolph. Randolph shared in July 2023 that the film would feature a “conflict in Middle East, Superman wants to stop it one way, other heroes disagree.”
Furthermore, she shared, “Lex Luthor is also trying to negotiate peace his own way.”
Finally, she concluded, “The Authority was a misdirect! Clever – it’s actually a JSA type team, or the actual JSA.”
Ah okay, here we go:#SupermanLegacy – conflict in Middle East, #Superman wants to stop it one way, other heroes disagree.#LexLuthor is also trying to negotiate peace his own way.#TheAuthority was a misdirect! Clever – it’s actually a #JSA type team, or the actual #JSA
— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) July 12, 2023
Randolph claimed in February 2024 that the conflict in the Middle East was rewritten to be located in Eastern Europe instead.
I hear a certain #DC movie has switched its conflict from the Middle East to Eastern Europe…
— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) February 16, 2024
In fact, actor Bassem Youself also claimed the film’s script was changed. He said in an interview with Salon, “I was a little bit bitter about losing the role, and I was kind of very sad. Why, in the United States of America, you can talk about Joe Biden, and you can talk about Donald Trump, but you cannot criticize a foreign government? Which is kind of very sad. And then, because of that I was cast in the movie, Superman, and then they told me, ‘We changed the script.’ After the Piers Morgan interview.”
He added, “And I want to assume good faith. I want to know, I want to believe that this is true. And I was a little bit bitter, and I wanted to go, I was like, ‘Oh, screw DC. Screw Warner Bros.’”
Gunn and DC would fire back via IGN, but confirmed the script was changed. A source informed the outlet’s Alex Stedman that Youssef was dropped before the Piers Morgan interview.
Stedman wrote, “A source close to the production, however, disputes Youssef’s timeline, telling IGN that Youssef’s character was dropped from Superman: Legacy well before the Piers Morgan interview.”
He added, “According to our source, writer/director James Gunn was indeed in talks with Youssef to play the character Rumaan Harjavti. The character was dropped entirely from the script, though, by at least September, before the Morgan interview. Therefore, the source says, Youssef was never offered the role to begin with, and the issue does indeed come down to script changes and the character being cut altogether.”
Gunn reacted to the article writing on X, “This is accurate.”
This is accurate. https://t.co/oXc23gvq0E
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 16, 2024
Gunn previously promised fans back in March 2023 that the film would 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.”
Then a bit less than a year ago I saw a way in, in many ways centering around Superman’s heritage – how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 15, 2023
DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran would later inform Variety in June 2023, “It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing.”
Safran added that Superman “is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned.”
Superman: Secret Origin #3 (2010), DC Comics
Of note this alleged leak does not provide any details on the other superheroes that have been cast for the film. They include Nathan Fillion as the Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Isabella Merced as Hawkgirl, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.
It also does not make mention of Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord.
The Man of Steel #2 (1986). DC Comics
READ: Rumor: Supergirl To Appear In James Gunn’s ‘Superman: Legacy’ Film
As for Supergirl multiple rumors indicate she will appear in the film. Home of DCU reported in December 2023 that scooper Daniel RPK claimed the character would show up in the film.
According to Daniel RPK, Supergirl will appear in ‘SUPERMAN: LEGACY’ and they are currently casting the character.
Sasha Calle will not portray Supergirl in the DCU. pic.twitter.com/LCu500RqDY
— Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) December 8, 2023
While moderators of the DCEUleaks subreddit also noted that the character would appear in the film, but would be limited to a cameo. They wrote, “The role will be limited to a cameo.”
Surprise Mini SAITMQ – Supergirl
byu/AutoModerator inDCEUleaks
What do you make of this alleged plot leak?
