In a recent interview with The Times of London, James Gunn, the writer and director of the soon to be released film Superman, noted, “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.”
“And yes,” Gunn admitted, “it’s about politics.” He’s also well aware that some viewers will take offense at that.
I suppose one could say that Superman “immigrated” to the U.S. when his parents, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, sensing imminent danger on their planet, Krypton, sent him to Earth. If you recall the original story, baby Kal-El’s spaceship crash-landed on a farm in Smallville, Kansas, owned by Jonathan and Martha Kent — a kind, loving couple who adopted him and named him Clark.
Still, comparing baby Kal-El’s 1938 arrival in rural Kansas, via spaceship, to the millions of undocumented immigrants who poured over our open southern border, particularly during the Biden administration, is quite a stretch. In truth, it’s difficult even to equate the experiences of our own ancestors with modern immigration. There are several fundamental differences: immigrants of the past were eager to assimilate, they were determined to become Americans, and most importantly, they came here legally.
Nevertheless, the Times’ Jonathan Dean defended Gunn’s characterization of Superman as an immigrant. “And before you say, ‘Superman has gone woke!’ this is all in Superman’s lengthy history,” he assured readers.
Superman was written by men from immigrant families and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees once released a book in Italy titled Superman Was a Refugee Too. Less than ten years ago, DC Comics backed World Refugee Day: “The Man of Steel’s story is the ultimate example of a refugee who makes his new home better.” In the edition of Action Comics No 987, Superman saves a group of undocumented workers from a violent racist.
Sean Gunn, the director’s brother who also acts in the film, was even more emphatic. When asked by a Variety reporter about MAGA’s response to the politicization of the film, he replied:
It is exactly what the movie is about … we support our people. We love our immigrants. Yes, Superman is an immigrant and yes, the people we support in this country are immigrants. If you don’t like that, you’re not American. People who say, ‘no,’ to immigrants are against the American way. They’re against what the American dream is all about.
The reporter responded with a phrase that has long been associated with Superman: “Truth, justice and the American way.”
Writer Christian Toto quipped, that’s “the Superman line that Hollywood loves to bury.” He added:
Gunn and the reporter are doing what the Left always does. They pretend there’s no difference between legal and illegal immigration. They also ignore the fact that an American can’t just waltz into most countries and immediately gain the rights and privileges afforded to that land’s citizenry.
Well apparently, the MAGA base is offended by the political twist to the movie. According to Mediaite, “MAGA influencers launched a movement to boycott the new Superman movie in response to director James Gunn proclaiming the story is inherently political.”
Frankly, I wasn’t planning to see the movie even before the latest flap. But his comments were foolish as a practical matter. Doesn’t Gunn realize that conservatives buy movie tickets too? Even if a small percentage of conservatives pass on the movie, that equates to millions of dollars in lost revenue to the studio.
As Clay Travis points out in the post below, Gunn was “an absolute moron to say this publicly the week before release.”
Has Gunn already forgotten how Rachel Zegler’s and Gal Gadot’s political statements helped sink Disney’s Snow White remake this spring? While their comments weren’t the sole reason the film flopped, why risk making the same unforced error?
The Daily Beast accidentally published their movie review too early. They took it down, but not before someone grabbed a screenshot. Their take? “Terrible New ‘Superman’ Is Final Nail in Superhero Cinema’s Coffin.”
Elizabeth writes commentary for Legal Insurrection and The Washington Examiner. She is an academy fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Please follow Elizabeth on X or LinkedIn.
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