James Gunn Reveals why His Lex Luthor is So Mad at Superman

James Gunn is bringing a fresh take to the Superman story with his new movie set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. This film will be the first DC Universe movie released in theaters since Gunn took over as the director in 2022. His goal is to make familiar characters feel new and different, and that includes Superman’s famous enemy, Lex Luthor.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Gunn explained that this Superman, played by David Corenswet, won’t be as unstoppable as past versions. Unlike Henry Cavill’s Superman, who was very powerful and tough to beat, this new Superman will be more vulnerable and human. Gunn also talked about how his version of Lex Luthor will be much easier for audiences to relate to.

Usually, in superhero movies, the villain is just there to be evil and oppose the hero. Lex Luthor, Superman’s main human enemy, has often been shown as a mean billionaire. Fans love Superman because he’s all about doing good, so they naturally dislike Lex since he tries to defeat him.

But Gunn is changing that. He told Rolling Stone, “I really understand Lex. I feel like I relate to Lex way more than I wish I did. But for me, Lex looks at Superman like artists look at AI. He is the world’s greatest man in so many ways. He’s done these unparalleled things. And then you got a guy who comes in who’s done nothing to deserve the ability to fly and to smash down buildings. And he’s also extraordinarily handsome, too. And all of a sudden, that’s all the world is talking about. And that sort of obsession with being replaced, with being—with your gifts not being seen or passed over — I think is what drives Lex. I relate to everything he does. He’s just meaner than I am.”

This way of thinking makes Lex feel like a real person, not just a bad guy. Lex has spent his whole life working hard to be the smartest and best, but people only care about Superman, who seems perfect and doesn’t have to work as hard.

It’s like how some artists feel when people start praising AI-made art more than human-created work. Now, Lex is not just a villain, he’s a man with understandable feelings and reasons for his actions. This version of Lex is more about science and wanting to change the world, while Superman has everything handed to him without really making big changes.

David Corenswet plays Clark Kent, aka Superman, and Rachel Brosnahan stars as Lois Lane. Nicholas Hoult takes on the role of Lex Luthor. The movie will also introduce other heroes like Mister Terrific, Metamorpho, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl, which will help build a bigger DC Universe.

Most of the filming took place in Georgia and Norway and wrapped up in July 2024. The story draws ideas from famous comics like All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison. Along with the main cast, actors like Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, and Sara Sampaio are part of the movie. Newcomer Milly Alcock plays Supergirl, and Frank Grillo returns as Rick Flag Sr., connecting this film to other DC stories.

So, James Gunn’s new Superman movie is shaping up to give fans a fresh, more human look at both Superman and his greatest foe, Lex Luthor. The movie promises to show a Superman who’s not perfect and a Lex Luthor who is far more relatable than before.

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