James Gunn Unveils the Reason Behind Dropping ‘Legacy’ from Superman’s Title: “The Film Speaks for Itself”

When James Gunn’s Superman film was initially revealed, it was officially named Superman: Legacy – but the subtitle was later removed without explanation. Now, the director has shared why the single-word title is more fitting for the film, informing fans that everything will become evident once they see it.

During a home visit earlier this year, the new DC Studios head recounted how he and his team would hold ‘pre-mortems’ throughout production, where they would openly anticipate scenarios in which the film might fail. They examine the script, casting, communication between teams, and more, with the goal of identifying what can be improved before it’s too late.

“We gather in a room with myself and all the department leads and say, ‘Let’s imagine this movie is a huge disaster,’” Gunn told ComicBook. “We anticipate two years from now when this movie is released, it goes horribly wrong. What are we currently doing that we aren’t addressing, that is making this movie go off course?”

“Everyone is encouraged to share their thoughts, from logistics to anything else; all opinions matter. I found it extremely beneficial. One of the insights was that perhaps the title… had a retrospective feel, and that’s not what we are aiming for; this is about looking forward,” he elaborated. “If you watch the movie, you will be able to see where ‘Legacy’ fits in because, again, it is about Clark and his connection to the narrative… and whose legacy is he really? That’s the core of it. However, as a title… it felt too much of a looking back.”

Featuring Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, and David Corenswet, Superman focuses on a young Kal-El as he balances his crime-fighting responsibilities with his more personal challenges.