Highlights
- Concerns about overcrowding the cast of Superman: Legacy are valid, considering past superhero movies that suffered from including too many characters.
- Taking time to develop each hero in the DC Universe, like Marvel did with The Avengers, is important for the success of Superman: Legacy.
- Including other superheroes in the film will help showcase Superman's double life and differentiate the DC Universe from the Marvel Cinematic Universe by exploring the aspect of secret identities.
The first official movie in James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe, Superman: Legacy, has some fans worried that its inclusion of other superheroes will overcrowd the cast. Set to be released on July 11, 2025, Superman: Legacy will skip the character’s well-worn origin story and follow Clark’s journey to reconcile his human roots in Smallville with his Kryptonian heritage. It’ll reintroduce the character without going all the way back to square one. An already promising movie seemed even more promising when two perfect actors, David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan, were chosen to play Superman and Lois. But that cast keeps getting bigger.
Regular Gunn collaborator Nathan Fillion has joined the cast in the role of Guy Gardner, one of the Green Lanterns, and a few members of the Authority are expected to appear in the film – and there are apparently even more heroes who will show up in Superman: Legacy (Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, Mister Terrific, the list goes on). While it might seem as though Gunn is biting off more than he can chew with the supporting cast of Superman: Legacy, this could end up being the right decision for the story (and, surprisingly, put more of a focus on Superman than it seems).
Fans Were Concerned About Too Many Heroes
With all the announcements of the characters that are due to be introduced in Superman: Legacy, some DC fans are concerned that the movie will feature too many heroes. One of the biggest issues with the previous DC cinematic universe was that it rushed to introduce everyone. Superman was introduced in one movie, then the next movie had him fighting Batman and introduced Wonder Woman, the Flash, Cyborg, and Aquaman. If Gunn is bringing in other superheroes in the very first DCU movie, then he could have a BvS problem even earlier than the SnyderVerse did. These are certainly valid concerns. Overstuffed casts are one of the most common problems in the superhero genre. Batman & Robin, Iron Man 2, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Dark Knight Rises, and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 all suffered from including too many villains.
If Superman: Legacy’s cast gets too big, then it won’t be able to focus on Clark and Lois’ relationship as clearly as it needs to. The DCU needs to take its time rounding out each hero. Marvel Studios spent four years gradually introducing Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, the Hulk, and Hawkeye before teaming them up in The Avengers. Superman: Legacy’s primary goal should be getting to know this new incarnation of Kal-El, not trotting out the entire ensemble at once. But it sounds like Gunn has a solid story-based reason for including so many other superheroes in his upcoming Superman film.
James Gunn Wants To Show Superman's Double Life
The purpose of including other superheroes in Superman: Legacy is to showcase Supes’ double life. Interacting with characters like Lois and Jimmy Olsen and Perry White will help to round out the Clark side of the character’s duality, while interacting with characters like Green Lantern and the Authority will help to round out the Superman side. The biggest problem with overstuffed comic book movie casts is when characters are included that the story doesn’t necessarily need. Aquaman only included Black Manta to set him up for a larger role in the sequel. Spider-Man 3 would’ve been a much tighter and more engrossing story if it cut out Venom and just focused on contrasting Peter’s symbiote-driven turn to the dark side with Uncle Ben’s killer’s quest for redemption. If the other superheroes have a crucial role in the narrative of Superman: Legacy, then the movie won’t feel overcrowded.
Superman: Legacy Can Do What Marvel Avoided
The focus on Superman’s double life is a sign of how the DC Universe can set itself apart from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the end of the MCU’s first ever movie, Tony Stark announced to the world that he was Iron Man. From that point on, the franchise did away with secret identities. The world knew that Steve Rogers was Captain America and Thor didn’t bother disguising himself as Donald Blake. Peter Parker hid his identity from the world, but it was promptly revealed by Mysterio and J. Jonah Jameson in his second solo movie. The DCU can separate itself from the MCU by exploring the key aspect of superhero fiction that Marvel has largely ignored: secret identities.
Secret identities are integral to the characterization of DC’s two flagship heroes. Clark keeps his identity as Superman a secret so that the people he cares about will be safe from the retribution that his enemies might seek. Bruce Wayne keeps his identity as Batman a secret to be a more effective crimefighter, because Gotham’s criminals wouldn’t be so afraid of the Bat if they knew there was a pampered billionaire under the cowl. Focusing on the secret identity aspect from the offset is a great jumping-off point for the new DC Universe.