James Gunn Calls ‘Superman’ a Tale of Morality, Hope, and an Immigrant Finding His Place in the World
James Gunn has shared what his new Superman movie really means to him, and it’s more than just another superhero story. In a recent interview with The Sunday Times, the DC Studios co-head explained why this version of Superman feels so important right now and what he hopes people take away from it.
Gunn said the film is about values that seem to be fading, like kindness and hope. He believes Superman stands for those things in a way that’s both personal and powerful.
“I mean, Superman is the story of America,” he said. “An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”
He also knows that not everyone will see it that way. In today’s divided world, he said some people might get upset just because the story promotes kindness. “Yes, it plays differently,”
Gunn said. “But it’s about human kindness and obviously there will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness. But screw them.”
The new film stars David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. It doesn’t follow Superman’s origin again but shows a younger Clark Kent already working at the Daily Planet. The story looks at how he tries to balance his Kryptonian heritage with his human life in Metropolis.
Gunn said the film does have some political themes, but it’s mainly about moral choices and how people see right and wrong. “It’s really about their relationship and the way different opinions on basic moral beliefs can tear two people apart,” he said.
One of the big questions in the movie is whether someone should never kill, even in the worst situations, something Superman believes strongly, while Lois has a more balanced view.
He said now felt like the perfect time to tell this kind of story. “This Superman does seem to come at a particular time when people are feeling a loss of hope in other people’s goodness,” Gunn said. “I’m telling a story about a guy who is uniquely good, and that feels needed now because there is a meanness that has emerged due to cultural figures being mean online.”
Gunn doesn’t expect the film to change the world. But he does hope it might make some people reflect. “And, no, I don’t make films to change the world,” he said, “but if a few people could be just a bit nicer after this it would make me happy.”
The new Superman movie hits theaters on July 11.
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