Director James Gunn has revealed that his highly anticipated "Superman" film carries political themes, describing the superhero story as fundamentally about immigration and the importance of basic human kindness in America.

Gunn opened up about the film's deeper themes during a profile interview with The Times of London, stating that "Superman is the story of America" and characterizing the character as "an immigrant that came from other places and populated the country." The DC Studios co-head emphasized that the film primarily serves as "a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost."

The film's immigrant allegory connects to Superman's comic book origins, as the character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, both sons of Jewish immigrant families.

When asked how the film might be received differently across various political regions of the United States, Gunn acknowledged the potential for varied interpretations but remained firm in his vision. He stated that the film "plays differently" in different areas.

"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," he said.

He described a central conflict between Superman and Lois Lane regarding moral beliefs, particularly around the question of whether killing is ever justified. Gunn noted that Superman believes in never killing regardless of circumstances, while Lois Lane takes a more balanced approach.

Gunn also later contextualized the timing of the film's release, noting that it comes at a time when people "are feeling a loss of hope in other people's goodness."

The director has already experienced some backlash for his interpretation of the character. He recounted posting footage of star David Corenswet interacting with child extras on set, only to see negative reactions online. Gunn expressed frustration with critics who called Superman "a p---y" for being kind to children, questioning why kindness would be seen as offensive.

"Superman," starring David Corenswet as the titular character and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, is set to release on July 11 and will launch the rebooted DC Universe. The film also features Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern.

Tags
Superman, James Gunn, Film, Movie