It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a reboot of Superman. Warner Bros. and DC are preparing a new take on this superhero, with writer Ta-Nehisi Coates and producer J.J. Abrams via their own Bad Robot banner. And the first black Superman may be on the way.

News of the Superman reboot was first reported by Shadow and Act and later confirmed by Deadline. The project is still in the early stages of development and no start or release date has been scheduled.

A director has not been selected, and Shadow and Act notes that "the search for an actor to play Kal-El/Superman has not yet begun," indicating that Henry Cavill will not return as the Man of Steel.

Cavill donned the mantle of Superman in "Man of Steel" (2013), "Batman v Superman: Rise of Justice" (2016), and "Justice League" (2017). He will also appear in "Justice League: Snyder Cut," which opens next month.

However, the future of the DC Extended Universe has been up in the air since "Justice League" was critically acclaimed despite being a huge hit. Warner Bros. is currently producing a reboot of "Batman" starring Robert Pattinson. Therefore, it would not be surprising to see a new Superman.

Nor would Cavill have to step down. The new project could be set in an alternate universe. The upcoming film "The Flash" will reportedly utilize the multiverse to feature different incarnations of Batman, including Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck.

Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that the reboot is "set up as a Black Superman story." The report also noted that Michael B. Jordan has tried to develop a Black Superman project at Warner Bros. and that the studio may look to him again for the lead role.

Coates is the acclaimed author of such bestsellers as Between the World and Me, The Beautiful Struggle, We Were Eight Years in Power, and The Water Dancer. More recently, he has ventured into the world of comics, writing for Marvel's "Captain America" and "Black Panther" series. Disney boss Bob Iger tipped his hat to Coates' screenplay as a factor in the greenlighting of the film "Black Panther" starring Chadwick Boseman.

"It is an honor to be invited into the DC Extended Universe by Warner Brothers, DC Films, and Bad Robot," Coates told Shadow and Act. 'We look forward to adding meaningfully to the legacy of America's most iconic mythological heroes.'

Abrams added, "There is a new, powerful, and inspiring Superman story yet to be told."