Gunn’s take on Superman sees the hero struggling to make sense of both his Kryptonian, alien, heritage and the world he was brought into on Earth, growing up in Kansas. He explained some of the thought behind “Superman: Legacy”‘s plot in a March 15 Twitter thread. “It has been a long road to this point. I was offered Superman years ago – I initially said no because I didn’t have a way in that felt unique and fun and emotional that gave Superman the dignity he deserved,” he explained. “Then a bit less than a year ago I saw a way in, in many ways centering around Superman’s heritage – how both his aristocratic Kryptonian parents and his Kansas farmer parents inform who he is and the choices he makes.”
Gunn said that though he initially agreed to write the script, it took longer for him to sign on to direct it, too.