SUPERMAN: LEGACY Director James Gunn Debunks A Wild Rumor About The Movie's Massive Budget

SUPERMAN: LEGACY Director James Gunn Debunks A Wild Rumor About The Movie's Massive Budget

Superman: Legacy writer/director and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has laughed off a pretty crazy rumour about the reboot's budget and teases even more DCU announcements being somewhere on the horizon...

By JoshWilding - Feb 28, 2024 09:02 AM EST
Filed Under: Superman: Legacy

Cameras will begin rolling on Superman: Legacy any day now, and while we'd like to think that means set photos will offer a first look at the new Man of Steel, there's no guarantee. 

The excitement surrounding James Gunn's reboot is palpable, and the future of the DCU may well hinge on the movie's success. It's been a long time since moviegoers were treated to a truly great Superman adventure in theaters so the hero could prove to be a tough sell. 

It's fortunate then that Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios are keeping the budget under control! 

There have been some pretty wild rumours on social media lately that Superman: Legacy will cost upwards of $364 million, making it one of the most expensive comic book movies ever made. 

To that, Gunn recently said on Threads, "Absolutely not. How in the world do they think they know what our budget is?" While we're guessing Superman: Legacy won't be cheap, the fact it doesn't include any pricey A-List stars will have helped greatly when it comes to keeping costs under control. 

The most expensive DC movie to date is 2017's Justice League; the budget for that ballooned to upwards of $300 million, but if you add in what it cost to finish Zack Snyder's Justice League, the sum becomes truly eye-watering. 

In related news, another fan asked Gunn if more DCU projects will be announced either at this year's San Diego Comic-Con or during some sort of live stream. "Those are our only two options?" the filmmaker teased. 

Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman's journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

David Corenswet is playing the Man of Steel, while Rachel Brosnahan has been tapped to star as Lois Lane. Other recent casting additions include Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. 

It's also been confirmed that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 composer John Murphy will provide the reboot's score (he's spent several months working on it, meaning his music will be used on set). 

Superman: Legacy is currently set to be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.

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WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 2/28/2024, 9:33 AM
Insiders are talking
Scarilian
Scarilian - 2/28/2024, 11:21 AM
@WhateverItTakes -
I would not be surprised if it's accurate.

Justice League cost $300m and Superman Legacy is effectively going to be a Justice League movie.
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 2/28/2024, 12:58 PM
@Scarilian - some of the cast are relatively unknown so I don't think they'll have huge wages
bcom
bcom - 2/28/2024, 4:17 PM
@Scarilian - Justice League cost that much because Snyder left near completion and Whedon came in, did some rewrites and had the cast reshoot some scenes as well as shoot new scenes. The change in director and the extra shooting added to the budget.
Scarilian
Scarilian - 3/1/2024, 6:32 PM
@whateverittakes -
@bcom -

I'm thinking mostly due to the inflating costs of budgets and the focus on ensuring Superman Legacy is a success. Warner Bros would be throwing everything at this project because if it flops or bombs then they'd likely immediately cancel James Gunn's DC plans.
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 2/28/2024, 9:34 AM
He's probably siphoned a lot to his wife for a cameo
AwesomePromoz
AwesomePromoz - 2/28/2024, 5:23 PM
@WhateverItTakes - Aww is you twiggered by a girl? Or does incel (you) think that James Gunn is a chad?

I also have a hot wife, and I keep her by my side whenever she deigns to accompany me. If I can bring money into the household, and it requires a favor from her, I do so.

That's what being an adult is like. Maybe you'll understand it some day.
WhateverItTakes
WhateverItTakes - 2/28/2024, 5:26 PM
@AwesomePromoz - what on earth are you talking about. You don't make sense
Blergh
Blergh - 2/28/2024, 9:35 AM
I genuinely hope that movie budgets will get back down to earth, movies can't EVER break even with the numbers studios are putting behind them these days.
They've managed to turn The Volume into an element that even makes the movies more expensive while the original intention behind it was to make the process easier and cheaper.
What did they do? Use the Volume and STILL shoot on location while flying your crew to expensive places.

This goes for all of them...if your movie can't be made for 150M it shouldn't be made.
JstaKIDfrmBKLYN
JstaKIDfrmBKLYN - 2/28/2024, 10:36 AM
@Blergh - They have to go back to using more practical effects. CGI should be used to enhance.
Blergh
Blergh - 2/28/2024, 10:43 AM
@JstaKIDfrmBKLYN - Practical effects cost more than the summation of CG though, what you've got to build physically always takes more ressources than what you can create digitally.
Marvel is absolutely overdoing it but, for example, a practical creature will always be more expensive than a CG one.
Itwasme
Itwasme - 2/28/2024, 10:56 AM
@Blergh - it's going to take a lot of innovation to bring those costs down, but innovation is going to come with the downside of taking away people's jobs. AI would have a profound impact on reducing costs, but the recent strike helped curb a lot of its uses.

People don't like the idea of cutting jobs.
TheShape9859
TheShape9859 - 2/28/2024, 9:35 AM
It's a wild rumor because people like you spread it
Origame
Origame - 2/28/2024, 9:39 AM
So many writers on this site insist these kind of scoopers are credible...

...then release an article showing Gunn having to debunk a bs rumor that somehow a superman movie costs more than justice league.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 2/28/2024, 10:05 AM
@Origame - Of course a Justice League movie would cost more than a Superman movie, there are so many more superheroes in a team movie.

Oh shit...
DankMan
DankMan - 2/28/2024, 10:12 AM
@ObserverIO -
@Origame - James Gunn's movies come in under budget no matter what, even all his Marvel movies. Its because he has a finished script and story board before films even start rolling. Marvel could learn a couple things from James Gunn
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 2/28/2024, 10:15 AM
@DankMan - Yeah he's good like that. So if the movie is indeed $350 million, I'm sure he won't go overbudget.
DankMan
DankMan - 2/28/2024, 10:16 AM
@ObserverIO - Ya I bet his budget is more like 250, that's what it took him to make Guardians 3. I bet it was a big part of DC's decision to hire him as well. He shows that he has a plan and will never have to have $50-100 million dollars worth of reshoots
Origame
Origame - 2/28/2024, 10:17 AM
@DankMan - hell, his first guardians movie was infamous for marvel having almost no faith in it and only greenlit it under the promise they could sell the prison set after for scrap metal. So it actually cost them less than was initially reported.
DankMan
DankMan - 2/28/2024, 10:18 AM
@Origame - Yep, I know its a reason DC put him in charge too. They are sick of wasting money on sub par movies that don't feel cohesive. James Gunn will come in under budget and drop us into a fully fleshed out universe with no baggage like the MCU.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 2/28/2024, 10:32 AM
@DankMan - Having said that though I don't think that $350m was actually that absurd of an estimate. I mean, it was a rumor and it's been denied, so it's not 350, but GOTG cost $250m and I think that he would want to splurge a little more on Superman.

This film is really important to the future of DC Studios and Gunn and Safran's tenure there. Everything depends on this movie hitting. So in terms of how much they are willing to bet on big blue, I think they are, by default, betting the house on it. So the defacto budget ma indeed be a blank check.

I would probably estimate the budget (the final budget when all is said and done) to be anywhere from $250m-350m, probably about $285m. But atm it's obviously not anywhere near $350m or James Ginn wouldn't have taken the time to debunk it.
DankMan
DankMan - 2/28/2024, 10:37 AM
@ObserverIO - James Gunn makes it so you don't have to splurge. You can make these movies for under 300 mil. It will probably go over 300 with marketing and everything, but James Gunn is a literal movie magician for keeping filming and production costs in check.
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 2/28/2024, 9:40 AM
If it's anywhere near 300 million they're gonna struggle. Unless this movie is really, really good, I don't think Superman is currently capable of making 1 billion in the box office. They tarnished the brand way too many times. MOS which was one of the best DCEU movies didn't come close to that.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/28/2024, 9:47 AM
K.

Anyway hope we get a first look soon , atleast of the suit if nothing else.

I’m cautiously optimistic about this , hope it turns out well!!.



Certainly has a hell of a cast!!.
braunermegda
braunermegda - 2/28/2024, 9:53 AM
maybe you should take that as a hint and stop sharing these [frick]ing rumors
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 2/28/2024, 9:58 AM
@braunermegda - Not gonna happen, Josh needs to pay that rent money.
LSHF
LSHF - 2/28/2024, 10:06 AM
@braunermegda - Not when there is clickbait involved!
LSHF
LSHF - 2/28/2024, 10:05 AM
James Gunn, Debunker of Rumors.
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