With production beginning, James Gunn gave two new updates regarding the first film in his new DCU. Gunn mentioned that the title had been changed from Superman: Legacy to SUPERMAN. He also revealed the new Superman logo, which indicates that there will be his Arctic headquarters, the Fortress of Solitude being depicted in the film.
The logo of James Gunn’s SUPERMAN has triggered widespread speculation and opinions. While many mentioned that Zack Snyder’s version of the logo was far superior, some were also excited at the update. One DC fan revealed that the logo amalgamated three iconic Superman depictions, including Max Fleischer’s iconic animated show.
James Gunn’s Superman Logo Pays Tribute To Three Iconic Depictions
James Gunn’s new and improved DCU is all set to begin with SUPERMAN. The filmmaker stepped in as the new chief of DC Studios along with Peter Safran and announced that they would be revamping the DC slate with a new plan, beginning with the first chapter in the shared universe titled, ‘Gods and Monsters’, with Superman being the first character to be explored.
The filmmaker began production on SUPERMAN on February 29, which Gunn said was Superman’s birthday. The film stars David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, and others in lead roles. Gunn also unveiled the official Superman logo on Corenswet’s suit on the Threads app, where he has been active. The logo was covered in snow, indicating the presence of the Fortress of Solitude.
James Gunn’s Superman logo has a thicker middle portion in its ‘S’ and a yellow diamond-shaped outline. A DC fan opined that the logo was a merger of three iconic Superman depictions in comics and animation. The fan mentioned that the colors of the logo were of the classic Superman, while the shape was similar to that of Alex Ross’ Kingdom Come Superman.
Post by @jamesgunnView on Threads
The fan also mentioned that the yellow outlines were a tribute to the 1940s cartoon short film Superman by Fleischer Studios from the 1940s. James Gunn responded with a folded hands emoji to the comment on Threads, while other fans appreciated the OP for the catch.
Is James Gunn’s SUPERMAN based on Kingdom Come?
James Gunn’s SUPERMAN has been widely speculated to be inspired by Alex Ross’ iconic storyline Kingdom Come. The logo of Superman in the tease as well as in the nameplate given to the cast and crew on the day of the script reading hinted at the film taking storylines from the popular storyline (via The Direct).
Alex Ross’ Kingdom Come was set in an alternate world where a younger iteration of the Justice League comes under fire due to their violent means. This puts them in direct conflict with the OG Justice League, leading to a clash between the two generations of superheroes. The comic book series was lauded for its storyline and artwork.
While the Justice League does not yet exist in James Gunn’s new DCU, a version of a superhero team does exist in the form of The Authority. According to Screen Rant, the presence of Hawkgirl, Guy Gardener, Mister Terrific, and The Engineer may set up the Kingdom Come storyline.
There have been no confirmations regarding how much of an influence the Kingdom Come storyline has on the film, with the film’s official synopsis only mentioning Clark Kent’s journey to reconnect with his Kryptonian heritage. However, the constant teases with the logo may indicate a far more prominent influence from the iconic comics in the film.
