First Jupiter’s Legacy trailer released: What is the show about?

The first trailer for Netflix’s upcoming Jupiter’s Legacy series has been released but what is the show actually about?

Netflix is getting a new superhero tale in the form of Jupiter’s Legacy, a live-action TV series adaptation adaptation of the eponymous Image Comics publication. The book, created by Mark Millar and Frank Quitely, follows the world’s greatest superheroes as they struggle to pass their heroic torches on to their offspring.

Netflix has been ramping up marketing for the series as its May 7 release date approaches. Now, the first trailer for Jupiter’s Legacy is here, featuring plenty of bone (and neck, we’re sure)-crunching action, superhero drama, beaten-up crimefighters and cool costumes (you know, everything we would like to see in a live-action comic book adaptation).

Watch Jupiter’s Legacy trailer

For those unfamiliar with the story, “Jupiter’s Legacy” opens with a group of adventurers, Sheldon, his future wife, Grace, his brother, Walter, and three old friends, Fitz, George and Richard. The six explorers gain powers during an expedition to Cape Verde in the 1930s. Sheldon becomes Utopian, Grace becomes Lady Liberty, Walter becomes Brainwave, Fitz becomes The Flare, and George adopts the name “Skyfox.” Having embraced their new heroic personas, they become The Union, a superhero team that dedicates itself to fight crime throughout the decades.

The story then takes us to the 2010s (yes, the heroes have lived quite a long life). Sheldon and Grace are married and have their children. Most of the other heroes also have children. The offspring are in line to become Earth’s next superheroes. Unfortunately for the legendary crimefighters, their kids… well, let’s just say they aren’t up to the task, which creates a great deal of conflict within the families and the superhero community.

In case the story is not quite clear after our summary and after watching the trailer (which is understandable, considering how intricate the story is), Miller boiled it down to a unique example while discussing Jupiter’s Legacy with Entertainment Weekly:

"“It all ties into this big science-fiction concept. But then you can knuckle it down to something even simpler: what if the world’s coolest guy, like Superman, married the world’s coolest woman, like Wonder Woman, and they had these […] awful [children]?”"

Wow. That sounds like a lot. They may have super strength, but not even the members of the Union are safe from dealing with difficult children.

The start of Netflix’s Millarworld

Mark Millar’s comic book works have been adapted for live-action multiple times throughout the past decade with projects like 2010’s Kick-Ass (and its 2013 sequel) and the Kingsman franchise, which is returning to theaters in late 2021 with The King’s Man. Jupiter’s Legacy, however, represents a new direction for the creator’s properties.

In 2017, Netflix announced its purchase of Millar’s imprint, Millarworld, which provided the streamer with the opportunity to adapt not only a majority of the creator’s already-published comic book work (excluding already-adapted titles like the aforementioned Kick-Ass and Kingsman), but also his upcoming projects.

Speaking to Comicbook.com in 2018, Millar explained the nature of the deal, which involves both comic book publishing and film and TV development:

"“[Publishing] is just a part of what Millarworld is doing at Netflix, the idea being that I’m just constantly creating new stories and these are being exploited in lots of different mediums, as we’ll explain over the coming months.”"

Millar is well-known for his prolificacy, having come up with numerous popular titles of his own, as well as some of Marvel’s most famous storylines (The Ultimates and 2006’s Civil War, for example). Therefore, if Jupiter’s Legacy becomes a hit for Netflix, it’s safe to expect new kinds of projects based on Millar’s ideas.

Judging by this first trailer, the show appears to live up to the grandness and heavy drama of its source material.

Jupiter’s Legacy arrives on Netflix on May 7, 2021.

Are you excited about Jupiter’s Legacy? What did you think of the trailer? Let us know in the comments below!