The ongoing lawsuit against James Gunn's David Corenswet's Superman movie is approaching its summer release, which will properly set the foundation for the DCU's Chapter 1: "Gods and Monsters." However, the DCU film has been dealing with a major hurdle in the form of an ongoing lawsuit that would potentially jeopardize Superman's release.

In a new report from Bloomberg Law, Judge Jesse M. Furman has dismissed the lawsuit submitted by the estate of the Superman co-creator, Joe Shuster, against Warner Bros. Discovery, as they claimed the studio didn't have the rights to release the DCU installment in several key territories. According to Bloomberg, Judge Furman's ruling on the Superman movie lawsuit from the estate cited "lack of jurisdiction over the case." At the time of publication, Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios have yet to comment on the story.

UPDATE: 2025/04/25 14:34 EST BY ANDY BEHBAKHT

Warner Bros. Discovery Comments On Winning Superman Lawsuit

Following Judge Furman's ruling, Daniel Petrocelli of O’Melveny & Myers spoke on behalf of WBD regarding the end of the Superman lawsuit:

“We are pleased with the court’s decision to dismiss this baseless lawsuit. As we have consistently maintained, DC controls all rights to Superman.”

What The Superman Movie Lawsuit Update Means For The DCU Movie

As the Superman movie lawsuit was putting the film's release at risk in the U.K., Australia, Ireland, and Canada, this would have been a huge problem for the DCU film's box office results, as those are key territories. Even though other international markets would (and are) still be able to release Superman, not having those four would have been incredibly troublesome. But the lawsuit being dismissed appears to mean Superman will be able to proceed with its release in those countries, especially as the marketing campaign is fully underway for the film.

This was also expected to happen, as there have been several Superman lawsuits for Warner Bros. and DC throughout the decades, including during the time when Zack Snyder's Man of Steel was happening. Much like 12 years ago, this Superman lawsuit has showcased that the last son of Krypton's release rights are within Warner Bros. Discovery and DC Studios' control. With this case not going to trial, Gunn's Superman film has one less major headache to worry about in the next three months ahead of its release.

Our Take On The Superman Movie Lawsuit Update

James Gunn's New Version of the Superman Movie Logo

While this lawsuit was dismissed, time will tell if this will be the last time that DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery deal with this type of situation regarding Superman and the character's rights. Given how crucial Superman will be for the DCU timeline, it's great to see that its release will be able to proceed as projected. With only three months left to go, the world will soon be able to witness the Man of Tomorrow's cinematic return in Gunn's Superman movie.

Superman 2025 poster
Superman
Release Date
July 11, 2025
Director
James Gunn
Writers
James Gunn, Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster
Producers
Lars P. Winther, Peter Safran
Franchise(s)
DCU
  • Headshot Of David Corenswet In The 47th Toronto International Film Festival: `Pearl`
    Clark Kent / Superman / Kal-El
  • Headshot Of Rachel Brosnahan
    Rachel Brosnahan
    Lois Lane
  • Headshot Of Nicholas Hoult
    Nicholas Hoult
    Lex Luthor
  • Headshot Of Edi Gathegi
    Edi Gathegi
    Michael Holt / Mister Terrific

Superman: This film follows Clark Kent, a cub reporter in Metropolis, as he navigates the complexities of his dual identity, struggling to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing while embracing his role as Superman.

Main Genre
Adventure

DC Movie Releases

Source: Bloomberg Law