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James Gunn is finally letting the cat out of the bag on three comic-book movie beats he’s officially over, and spoiler alert, none involve Superman’s origin story. Gunn is drawing a hard line: he doesn’t want to revisit well-worn tropes like origin flashbacks, hero team-ups for the sake of spectacle, or villains with clichéd backstories.
In fact, he’s intentionally steering his upcoming Superman away from origin territory, opting to drop us directly into a world where Clark Kent is already donning the cape and partnered with Lois, while Lex Luthor is already gunning for him. In a recent interview with The Times of London, the director named three iconic DC scenes that he would skip if he were making a comic-book-inspired film. He stated:
"I don't need to see pearls in a back alley when Batman's parents are killed. I don't need to see the radioactive spider biting Spider-Man. And I don't need to see baby Kal coming from Krypton in a little baby rocket. We have watched a million movies with characters who don't have their upbringing explained, like when we see 'Good Night, and Good Luck' we don't need to know the early life of Edward R Murrow to explain how he became a journalist. Who cares?"
This explains why he leaned away from making his Superman an origin story that explains the superhero's roots and background. The director has been very open about his dislike towards origin stories simply because there are plenty of projects already out there that explore the same. Gunn's project instead sheds light on the Kryptonian hero as he lives in the present era, and how he deals with his heroic identity while juggling his life as a normal citizen.
Why James Gunn thinks Superman is the story of an immigrant
In the same interview, the DC Studios co-head also revealed that his Superman will also be a mirror to America’s immigrant roots. Clark Kent’s journey, Gunn says, reflects the timeless dream of leaving behind the familiar to find a place that finally feels like home. He explained:
“I mean, ‘Superman’ is the story of America. 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.”
Gunn talked about the film's underlying political themes and how he's well aware of the criticism he may also face from many who might interpret it differently, adding:
“Yes, it plays differently, 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. Yes, it’s about politics. But on another level it’s about morality."
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Superman stars David Corenswet as Superman alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. It's the first film Gunn is making in the DC Universe and will kick off the 'Gods & Monsters' era in the studio. The film will also reportedly have appearances from several other DCU characters such as Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, and Metamorpho, among others.
Superman will be in theaters on July 11, 2025.
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