Earlier today, audiences were introduced to the first teaser trailer for Superman, the new film by James Gunn that will kick off a new era and universe of DC movies. The trailer was met with mixed reactions, with most admitting that it did feel like a more hopeful, joyful interpretation of the Man of Steel. However, potentially politically-charged comments made by James Gunn soon after made eyebrows go up throughouth an exhausted fanbase desperate for some escapism and a Superman free of political messaging.
Superman in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
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During a press preview on the Warner Bros. lot, Gunn articulated a vision of a DC Universe that is unapologetically interconnected. The universe he’s presenting fully embraces the Superman mythology and its vast pantheon of heroes and rivals. As Gunn explained, this Superman “lives in a world with superheroes.”
“Superhero movies have taken these characters and said, ‘Okay, it’s Batman [or] it’s Superman, but it’s not any of the other stuff,’” Gunn said. For him, that approach is outdated. “We’re embracing all of the Superman mythology. He has friends who are other superheroes. He has people he doesn’t get along as well with who are other superheroes. He has a lot of the things that we love from the Superman comics that we haven’t been able to see as much of in filmed media, and definitely haven’t been able to see in a grounded way, which is what I hope we’ve created.”
Hawk Girl flies into action in Superman – YouTube, DC
Gunn’s take appears to eschew the minimalist, insular approach in favor of a fully realized world, one with varied textures and moral contours.
“My DC Universe shares as many elements with Game of Thrones as it does with the Marvel Universe,” Gunn said. He claimed to want a world that feels lived-in, complex, and authentic — where magic and power coexist with everyday struggles and personal failings.
On its face, this expansive vision should delight fans longing to see Superman finally showcased alongside a broader tapestry of DC heroes. Yet the carefully curated sound bites, the overt talk of innate human goodness, and even the subtle references to contemporary American strife prompt a cautious question:
Can Gunn deliver a story free of the bitter political divides currently afflicting American culture?
Superman saves a little girl in the Superman teaser trailer – YouTube, DC
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For all his talk of a kinder, more hopeful Superman, Gunn also acknowledges that “we do have a battered Superman in the beginning.”
He sees that as a reflection not just of the hero’s journey, but of the country itself:
“That is our country. I believe in the goodness of human beings, and I believe that most people in this country, despite their ideological beliefs, their politics, are doing their best to get by and be good people — despite what it may seem like to the other side.”
-James Gunn
It seems from this quote that Gunn is aiming for a narrative that transcends political rancor, something that seeks common moral ground. Still, this statement raises a slight alarm.
His seemingly well-intentioned effort to unify could inadvertently highlight the very divisions he hopes to mend.
James Gunn must be very careful not to make this movie political or controversial. The cost would be billions to the DC Universe. https://t.co/WdKWAmHDkG
— wdwpro (@wdwpro1) December 19, 2024
We live in an era where everything from Marvel to Star Wars to Doctor Who has become politicized with thinly veiled allusions to modern political events. It seems as though one can’t disconnect from reality anymore when reality is waiting there to remind them of the world’s state through fiction. By bringing the state of the modern American political climate into this conversation, James Gunn could cast a dark shadow over Superman and his new cinematic universe right from the get-go.
(L-R): Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan, Brie Larson as Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers, and Teyonah Parris as Captain Monica Rambeau in Marvel Studios’ THE MARVELS. Photo by Laura Radford. © 2023 MARVEL.
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Time and again, Gunn emphasized the film’s guiding star: the inherent goodness of its hero.
“This movie is about that. It’s about the basic kindness of human beings,” he reiterated. It’s a noble premise, and one that seems designed to appeal across the political spectrum. It’s a moral call to embrace decency and optimism. Yet, given how often contemporary superhero stories have been scrutinized as allegories for our polarized era, there’s an undercurrent of concern. After all, previous DC installments have been criticized for flirting with darker political undertones and “fascistic power fantasies.”
Gunn is aware of this history.
Ben Affleck as Batman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Warner Bros.
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“We all felt like we were doing something good… not a fascistic power fantasy,” he said after the Q&A, contrasting Superman with more cynical superhero outings, like those presented by director Zack Snyder in the failed DC “Snyderverse.”
“I’m not saying that about other hero movies in general,” Gunn quickly clarified, aware of the delicate tightrope he’s walking as he refocuses the iconic hero.
Ultimately, this James Gunn approach promises a Superman who flies back into theaters with old-fashioned sincerity and wide-eyed hope that with any luck won’t get political. The question remains whether this kinder worldview can stand independent of America’s current ideological fault lines — or if, despite good intentions, the narrative might serve as an unintended mirror of them.
Krypto the Super Dog in Superman – YouTube, DC
For now, audiences can find reassurance in Gunn’s stated commitment to moral clarity. He claims that he’s trying to give us a Superman who stands for something we can all agree on: the value of decency.
It’s just a matter of whether he can accomplish that without stirring the pot of division or delving into supposed “woke” political messaging. If he can present pure escapism, minus the divisive nonsense we’ve come to expect in offerings from Disney and Marvel, Superman may truly be the hopeful new beginning we all want.
But in this fractured climate, fans are right to remain both hopeful and cautiously doubtful until the Man of Steel takes flight once again.
Do you believe James Gunn will get political with Superman? If he does, are you done with the DC universe? Sound off in the comment section below and let us know.
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