James Gunn on Divisive Superman Scene: “I Didn’t Want a Superman Who Was Perfect”

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In the movie Superman, director James Gunn aimed to highlight Superman’s humanity. When Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) insultingly called Superman an alien, David Corenswet as Superman replied, “I’m just as human as anyone else.” He went on to explain, “I feel love, fear. I wake up every day not knowing exactly what to do, but I take one step after another and try to make the right decisions. I mess up a lot – that’s being human.

Gunn stated in the Picturehouse podcast that he wasn’t looking for a flawless Superman. He emphasized that no one is perfect, not even Superman. In fact, Gunn added that this Superman can lose his temper and, at times, may even fling a desk across the room due to frustration with Lex.

In this context, Gunn is discussing a scene where Superman, in anger, invades LuthorCorp to challenge Luthor over the theft of Krypto, Supergirl’s dog, and the destruction of his robots. Despite acknowledging that such actions might not be appropriate (Superman “probably shouldn’t have done” this), Gunn defends the emotional response, stating that even when Superman acts in ways that are less than perfect, it is due to the inherent goodness and purity of his character.

In a heated exchange during an on-air interview with girlfriend Lois Lane (played by Rachel Brosnahan), Superman becomes agitated when questioned about his solo intervention in the dispute between Boravia and Jarhanpur. When the brave Daily Planet reporter probes him about taking matters into his own hands, Superman passionately asserts that he felt compelled to act because lives were at stake.

Gunn expressed great enthusiasm about the interview scene where Clark and Lois discuss their personal lives, values, conflicts, and perspectives, presenting them in a relatable human context. He emphasized that this doesn’t diminish Superman’s iconic status but offers a fresh perspective on him. For Gunn, exploring Superman from a different angle is both intriguing and enjoyable.

In the new movie, Gunn is making it clear that his version of Superman will be more emotionally and physically vulnerable compared to previous portrayals. The story begins immediately after Superman’s initial defeat – against the Hammer of Boravia, who was secretly a flawed clone of Superman created by Luthor, known as Ultraman – leaving Superman battered and falling into the snow outside the Fortress of Solitude.

In the beginning, one concept that struck me was visualizing Superman slightly wounded, with a hint of blood trickling from his mouth. It’s not an image we’ve explored much before, and I found it intriguing and wanted to bring it to life.

DC Studios’ Superman is now playing only in theaters.

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2025-07-25 01:09