James Gunn posts a picture from Superman Legacy’s VFX department

Everything you need to know about Gunn’s reference, and what it means for Superman Legacy.

James Gunn, Creative Head of DC Studios and director of Superman Legacy, has posted a picture of a sign from Superman Legacy’s VFX department, giving us a hint of how he’ll handle the upcoming film.

The sign, which says “Verisimilitude!” is in reference to the late Richard Donner, director of Superman 1978, who also displayed the exact words in his own office while filming Superman. Verisimilitude in philosophy is the idea of something seeming to be true or having the appearance of reality. Donner held onto the idea throughout production, taking Superman into a more grounded and realistic realm while fully embracing his fantastical comic book origins.

The success of the 1978 Superman movie would set the standard for all superhero films that followed it. Donner’s philosophy inspired director Christopher Nolan when making his The Dark Knight trilogy and Jon Favreau, who put the word above his doorway during the production of 2008’s Iron Man.

While Gunn may be applying the concept of verisimilitude that inspired the original Superman movie to this new project, rest assured that Clark Kent will not wear the classical costume depicted in the image.

Superman Legacy, starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult, is set to be released on July 11th, 2025.