Superman: Reboot coming from Ta-Nehisi Coates and J.J. Abrams

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a Superman reboot, and it's coming from writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and producer J.J. Abrams!

Hannah Minghella will serve as a producer, though we have yet to learn if Henry Cavill will reprise the iconic role. No director has been assigned to the project at this time, nor has the search for an actor to play Kal-El / Superman.

According to sources, the project is being set up as a Black Superman story. Could it be that Calvin Ellis will be making his way to the silver screen? It's definitely a possibility. As it happens, Michael B. Jordan tried to develop a Black Superman project when he first arrived at the studio with his deal in 2019, but that idea went up, up, and away after so much time. If Coates decides to embrace the Black Superman angle, there's a chance the studio could cast Jordan as the new Man of Steel.

Per Superman Fandom, Calvin Ellis, whose Kryptonian name Kalel, also known as Superman, is a Kryptonian president of the United States, on a different Earth in the Multiverse. On his Earth, he became Superman in addition to being the president. It is likely he's native to Vathlo Island, due to his reference to the word Vathlo. He operates from the White House, where Brainiac serves as his personal computer and even covers for him while he does his duties as Superman.

Coates is an acclaimed essayist, novelist, and comic book writer, penning outstanding runs for both Black Panther and Captain America at Marvel Comics. 

“To be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Bros., DC Films and Bad Robot is an honor,” said Coates in a statement to website Shadow and Act, a website dedicated to the African diaspora in the arts. “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. 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,” said J.J. Abrams in the statement to Shadow and Act.

Welp, my weekend has officially been made. I'm a big fan of Coates' powerful comics and have heard outstanding things from trusted friends about his novels We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy, The Beautiful Struggle and Between the World and Me, and The Water Dancer. I have no doubt that Coates will bring something special to his version of the Last Son of Krypton, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of DC's other iconic characters appear in the film.

My guess is that this deal has been in the works for a while and that Warner Bros. was more than done with Zack Snyder's iteration since before the Snyder Cut kerfuffle. One thing is for sure, I am down for this change. With Zack Snyder's Justice League on the way and the director looking to pressure other passion projects, it makes perfect sense for someone like Coates to swoop in and take over. When you stop and think about it, it's the best of both worlds. We get Snyder's ideal cut of Justice League as well as something different for fans craving something new.