Superman is suiting up for a new movie. Warner Bros. announced that writer Ta-Nehisi Coates is working on a script with J.J. Abrams set to produce the film.
Coates is known for writing Black Panther and Captain America comics and non-fiction books about African-American experiences, including The Beautiful Struggle and Between the World and Me.
“To be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Bros., DC Films, and Bad Robot is an honor,” Coates told Shadow and Act in a statement. “I look forward to meaningfully adding to the legacy of America’s most iconic mythic hero.”
“There is a new, powerful and moving Superman story yet to be told,” Abrams added. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with the brilliant Mr. Coates to help bring that story to the big screen, and we’re beyond thankful to the team at Warner Bros. for the opportunity.”
Who will play the Man of Steel has not been announced, though several rumors are circulating. One is that Henry Cavill, who has expressed interest in playing Superman again, could return to the character. Another rumor is that the movie will center around a black Superman, which could be one of DC’s multiverse Supermen like Calvin Ellis (Superman that is also President of the US) or Val-Zod (an Earth-Two Superman who had been adopted by Jor-El and sent to Earth with Kal-El). He could also be an entirely new character or different interpretation of Clark Kent.
Coates statement suggests that this Superman will be part of the DCEU (rather than an unrelated movie like Joker), though it isn’t clear if he’ll interact with other established heroes and villains, including Cavill’s Superman. Since The Flash movie will introduce the Multiverse, having two Supermen in the DCEU is a possibility as that movie will feature both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton as Batman.
This announcement brings a new Superman movie into the multiple current live-action projects featuring the Man of Steel and Kryptonians. The CW recently introduced Superman & Lois to the Arrowverse, Sasha Calle has been cast as Supergirl in 2022’s The Flash movie, and Cavill will see an expanded role in the March 2021 release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, along with Melissa Benoist’s starring role in the Supergirl show.
This will be Superman’s first solo film since Man of Steel was released in 2013. A director is not currently attached to the movie, though Abrams could be a contender considering he has pitched Superman movies in the past.
