Legacy of the Superman: The Future

Welcome to the final installment of our Legacy of the Superman series. In this installment, we will explore what’s up next for the Man of Steel, from movies and television to animation and comics.

Fans have wanted to see a new solo film for Superman ever since Man of Steel in 2013. While we’ve heard plenty of rumors and interested directors over the years, we don’t really know much – other than that there are plans to make it…eventually. Most recently, it was rumored that Warner Bros. wants to announce the film this year, possibly during San Diego Comic-Con.

But first, Superman may show up in another DC movie. Rumor has it that Kal-El will appear in New Line’s Shazam! movie. Little is known about the extent of his role here, except that he’s said to be a big influence on Billy Batson. The move apparently comes as WB wants Superman to return to cinemas sooner than later, with the Man of Steel sequel years away. Additionally, there is allegedly interest in putting Superman in Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam movie.

The future of DC Films has been a bit murky ever since Justice League‘s underperformance, but if these plans happen, then it won’t be too long before we see Superman in a movie again.

Moving over to television, the Man of Steel’s future is bright. In 2019, DC will premiere an original series titled Metropolis on its streaming service. The show will focus on Lois Lane and Lex Luthor as they investigate fringe science and other cases. It takes place before Superman’s arrival in the city. The season will run for 13 episodes and begin production this fall. Not much else is known, but we have reasons to be excited…

Next, The CW has renewed Supergirl for a fourth season, expected to premiere next fall. Plot details are unknown, along with whether Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman will return. Meanwhile, we’re still waiting on a renewal for SyFy’s Krypton.

There are also multiple animated Superman projects coming up. Firstly, Nicolas Cage will finally get to play Superman….in Teen Titans GO! To the Movies. The movie, which brings the hit animated series to the big screen, will feature several celebrity cameos as superheroes, such as Halsey as Wonder Woman and Lil Yachty as Green Lantern.

Meanwhile, DC is taking another shot at one of Superman’s most iconic storylines. The Death of Superman, which is set in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU), is the second animated adaptation of the titular story. But this time around, the story is split into two films. The second half, Reign of the Supermen, arrives early next year.

And finally, there are big plans for Superman’s comic book lines. Following Action Comics #1000, writer Brian Michael Bendis is taking over Kal-El’s books, beginning with the weekly miniseries Man of Steel in May. DC will also launch Superman #1 and Action Comics #1001 in July, both written by Bendis.

The main Superman book will focus on Superman’s adventures and heroics, while Action Comics will explore Clark Kent’s daily life. Additionally, Bendis is introducing a new villain tied to Krypton’s history and destruction. Those who read Action Comics #1000 got a tease of what to expect in Bendis’ story.

Thank you to our readers who revisted Superman’s legacy with us. Here’s to another 80 years and beyond.