James Gunn Reveals Superman Stories Influencing His Movie And We’re Feeling Hopeful

The primary elements that have inspired the James Gunn Superman movie come from the golden age of the character dating back to 1939. Gunn shared the cover of Superman’s inaugural issue, Superman #1, which explores Superman’s origin and his established position at the Daily Planet.

Moreover, Gunn mentioned a heart-touching story from All-Star Superman — the acclaimed 12-issue series by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. The specific part of the series mentioned by Gunn is one in which Superman consoles a suicidal teenager named Regan, demonstrating the emotional depth of the character.

Animation, too, had its fair share of influence on the vision for James Gunn’s Superman. A frame from the hit 90s cartoon, Superman: The Animated Series, and the 1941 animated film, Superman: The Mad Scientist served as reference points.

The James Gunn Superman movie has also drawn inspiration from classic comics, including Superman #423 and Superman: For All Seasons. Both comics shed light on the emotional weight that comes with Clark’s superhero duties. Superman 423, written by Alan Moore, tells a story of the titular hero’s secret identity being revealed to his closest friends.

Meanwhile, Superman: For All Seasons, penned by Jeph Loeb, tells a coming-of-age story of how a small-town country boy grew up with incredible powers to become the greatest hero on Earth. The four-issue miniseries previously served as inspiration for the long-running teen drama, Smallville.

The journey in the upcoming film will not be solitary for Superman. A star-studded team consisting of superheroes such as Hawkgirl, Mr. Terrific, and the Guy Gardner Green Lantern (played by Nathan Fillion) will also be featured in the new James Gunn Superman. Yet, Gunn has made it clear that the narrative will center majorly around Clark Kent and Lois Lane, played by David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan respectively, with the relationship between the two forming a significant part of the storyline.

This new James Gunn Superman looks to be a celebration of the superhero’s various portrayals across diverse platforms. Moreover, it is an integral part of the larger design of the DC Universe under Gunn and Peter Safran, introducing interesting characters such as Angela Spica, aka The Engineer, that may potentially lead to a future The Authority movie.

Gunn’s contributions to the DC Universe extend beyond the Superman reboot. He is also involved in the animated series Creature Commandos, set in the same cinematic universe, as well as a Batman movie, The Brave and the Bold.

The new film, named Superman: Legacy, won’t necessarily retrace Superman’s origins but may still recall elements from his past and his role at the Daily Planet. It seems clear though, that the James Gunn Superman will focus on key aspects of Superman’s past, his work at the Daily Planet, and his budding humanity along with the high-flying superheroics we expect from a Superman movie.