Superman’s DCU Introduction Is Brave 12 Years After Henry Cavill’s Debut

Superman: Legacy is facing the same franchise-starting challenge with the DCU that Man of Steel had to confront when the DCEU was beginning in 2013. After Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom closes the DCEU era for good, most of DC’s upcoming theatrical movies and TV shows will build a new cinematic universe, which is expected to fully stand apart from the DCEU and Elseworlds movies like The Batman and Joker. Kickstarting this new franchise, Creature Commandos and Superman Legacy will prove how much the DCU will differ from the defunct DCEU.

Although Creature Commandos will be the DCU’s first-ever installment, expectations are much higher for James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy, which will not only mark Superman’s DCU debut but will also establish a lived-in universe filled with novice and experienced metahumans. Given how Superman is DC’s flagship hero, Superman: Legacy might be the most important entry in the DC Universe’s first chapter, “Gods and Monsters”. Moreover, Superman: Legacy will also face a big challenge given its similarities with the DCEU’s own first entry, Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel.

The DCU Leading With Superman Risks Repeating The DCEU’s Introduction Issues

Kicking off a cinematic universe with the franchise’s main hero is a logical strategy. However, Superman has a long history of live-action adaptations, none of which have been able to turn him into a highly marketable property. In 2013, Man of Steel presented a darker, more emotional take on Superman, but not even Zack Snyder’s unique style could win over the majority of the audience. Since Superman’s appeal is more difficult to package in a single movie than most comic book characters, a Superman movie at the beginning of a new franchise is a bold move — more so than a film centered on a more straightforward character, like Batman.

Superman: Legacy Has Already Hinted It’ll Avoid The DCEU’s Intro Issues

Fortunately for the DCU, Superman: Legacy might learn from the DCEU’s mistakes, including certain details from Man of Steel that could have established better foundations for a cinematic universe. Unlike the DCEU’s drastic move from Man of Steel‘s standalone story to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s rushed crossover, Superman: Legacy will focus on Superman and his supporting cast, yet it will also feature various metahumans and build interconnectivity right from the get-go. This way, it will be clear that the DC Universe will be expanding in the future, but also that other DCU movies and shows won’t have to rush towards crossover events after a single solo film.

Besides interconnectivity, Superman: Legacy will also set the tone for Superman and allow for compatible stories from the start. Man of Steel‘s promise of a gritty franchise was abandoned, as Justice League‘s theatrical cut derailed Zack Snyder’s proposed style, and movies like Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984 and Andy Muschietti’s The Flash clashed with what Man of Steel had set up. Now, Superman: Legacy will likely decide on a specific — and more appropriate — tone and style for Superman, but also leave the door open for future DCU movies and shows to explore their own style without it deviating too much from the rest of the cinematic universe.