Why is James Gunn's Superman being labeled 'Superwoke'? Here is what we think about the situation

James Gunn's Superman has been a key talking point since its theatrical release on July 11. The film has brought a wave of social media posts praising its message about kindness being the "new punk-rock." However, it is also being criticized for the same message. The resulting pushback has led to people calling Superman superwoke.

The contrasting opinions about James Gunn's new movie have seemingly ended up in a culture war. Some viewers believed that the film is bifurcating from the hero's American identity. One of them reportedly complained on X (formerly Twitter) about the motto: “Truth, Justice, and the Human Way.” They believe it doesn't reflect the hero's iconic motto: “Truth, Justice, and the American Way.”

While some viewers had concerns about the hero being kind and empathetic, others had concerns about his immigrant identity. It roughly started on a press tour before the film's release. Director James Gunn called it an immigrant story and elaborated on his views about his human kindness. It happened at a turbulent time in the country with growing concerns about its immigration policies. So, some people criticized him for politicizing the narrative.

Why is Superman being called Superwoke? Answer explored in depth

Los Angeles Premiere Of Warner Bros. "Superman" - Arrivals - Source: Getty

The new Superman movie shows the character emerge from outer space as an infant and is raised by a couple, Jonathan and Martha Kent, in a rural, fictional town in the US. The Kents adopted him. That's how Kal-El became Clark Kent. In this context, Clark is an alien who immigrated to the country and lived his life as a human being.

The narrative of the hero's identity isn't new. It dates back to the 1930s when artist Joe Shuster and writer Jerry Siegel shared it in their first story about the son of Krypton, a doomed planet. Kal-El didn't choose to be an immigrant. He was exiled from his home. That's why some viewers pointed out that he is technically a refugee. They also mentioned that his story came from Shuster and Siegel, two Jewish immigrants who were forced to leave their homeland.

There was also a point when the hero was called the Man of Tomorrow, referring to him as a person from the future and not another planet. Some iterations reportedly didn't specify Superman's origins. So, in those stories, the hero could have been from anywhere. However, Gunn stayed faithful to Shuster and Siegel's first story about the hero.

In interviews, Gunn has been vocal about the hero being a beacon of hope for humanity and being "someone whom you can hug." As revealed before, this message has led to polarizing reactions from the fans. Some admired Gunn's interpretation, while others criticized him for making the hero appear weak.

The pushback dates back to last December, when the first teaser trailer dropped online. It showed Superman flinch when someone threw a can at him. A few months later, the shot was seemingly changed since the trailer didn't show him flinch. Later, the criticisms related to his immigrant identity surfaced. One of them came from Dean Cain, an actor who previously played the hero. Cain didn't appreciate Gunn's comments about the hero's identity.

Apart from this, Gunn's movie shows the central hero fighting a tech mogul who wages war between two countries for personal benefit. While some criticized Gunn's creative choices, others have supported them. Some supporters have mentioned that the new film shows Superman as a decent person, nothing more, nothing less.

David Corenswet's character wants to protect innocent people from war, even if his parents may have sent him to rule the Earth. So, as Pa Kent says in the film,

"Your choices, your actions, that’s what makes you who you are.”

At a climactic point in his battle against tyrannical Lex Luthor, Superman also says,

“I’m as human as anyone. I love. I get scared. I wake up every morning and despite not knowing what to do, I put one foot in front of the other and I try to make the best choices I can.”

Hence, despite the pushback about Superman being superwoke, many viewers supported the film's humanistic core.