James Gunn’s Superman, previously titled Superman: Legacy, has officially taken flight with production on the highly anticipated DCU film underway. It stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman and will serve as the first entry in a new shared universe of DC characters.
However, while filming for the movie started, a fake set photo featuring Corenswet cropped up on social media. Gunn, who frequently confirms or debunks rumors regarding the DCU, took to social media to set the record straight regarding the image. Gunn clarified that the image was AI-generated and cautioned fans against believing such images. Here is what Gunns said about the fake set photo.
James Gunn Slams AI-Generated Set Photos of Superman
Director James Gunn announced on February 29, 2024, that filming on the much-anticipated film Superman, starring David Corenswet in the title role, had commenced. At the time, Gunn shared a glimpse at the insignia on Corenswet’s costume.
However, around the same time, an image of Corenswet, in full costume, featuring the same logo shared by Gunn started circulating online. A couple of days later, Gunn took to the social media platform Threads, to debunk the supposed set photo, which had already started receiving criticism from fans.
Replying to a fan on Threads, Gunn posed a series of questions that highlighted the allegedly leaked image’s inconsistencies.
Post by @jamesgunnView on Threads
Gunn’s comments confirmed that the image circulating online was not only fake but generated using AI. As a result, it could have caused damage to DC’s credibility, particularly because of how poor Corenswet’s suit looks in the image. Therefore, Gunn likely felt it was best to not only set the record straight on the matter but also wanted to caution fans against such fake images in the future.
James Gunn Explains Superman: Legacy Title Change
While announcing the start of filming on his Instagram, Gunn posted a photo of the Superman insignia on Corenswet’s costume that will feature in the film. At the same time, Gunn revealed that the film will be simply titled Superman, choosing to drop the “Legacy” subtitle, which was previously linked to it.
In his post’s caption, Gunn explained the decision to retitle the film by revealing when he wrote the first draft, it held the title Superman: Legacy. However, by the time Gunn locked the final draft, it became apparent to the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker that SUPERMAN was a more apt title for the movie.
The project was formally announced in December 2022, with Gunn writing the script centering on a younger Superman. In January 2023, Gunn was revealed to be also directing the movie, which was then officially titled Superman: Legacy. However, in late February 2024, the subtitle was dropped in favor of a simpler title.
Superman will star David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman, along with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt / Mister Terrific, and Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner / Green Lantern. It is currently scheduled to release on July 11, 2025.
