Dean Cain, the actor best known for portraying Superman in the hit 1990s series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, is joining the growing chorus of critics who are pushing back against James Gunn’s upcoming Superman reboot.
In a recent interview with TMZ, Cain responded to Gunn’s controversial comments to The Times of London, where the director described Superman as “an immigrant” and framed his story as “the story of America.” While the phrasing may sound harmless to some, many longtime fans of the character see it as part of a broader push to redefine classic heroes through a modern ideological lens.
Superman fighting an unknown enemy in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
“How woke is Hollywood going to make this character?” Cain asked. “How much is Disney going to change their Snow White? Why are they going to change these characters to exist for the times?”
Cain’s concerns reflect what many fans have expressed in recent years: a frustration with studios reworking legacy characters instead of simply creating new ones. That sentiment grew louder when DC Comics officially dropped the phrase “the American Way” from Superman’s slogan in 2021, replacing it with “truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.”
“For Superman, it was ‘truth, justice, and the American way.’ Well, they dropped that,” Cain said. “Changing beloved characters I don’t think is a great idea. If you want to create a new character, go ahead and do that.”
Dean Cain as Superman – YouTube, Dean Cain Gallery
Cain added that while Superman has always been a symbol of goodness, that doesn’t mean his identity should be manipulated to reflect a political agenda.
“Superman’s inherent weakness is his goodness,” Cain said. He described the character’s morality as a central strength: “That’s what makes him so powerful. He represents great values.”
He also made clear he’s not denying Superman’s alien origins.
“We know Superman is an immigrant — he’s a freaking alien,” Cain acknowledged, but said framing the character primarily through a modern political lens crosses a line. “That’s a bridge too far.”
David Corenswet as Superman flying in James Gunn’s “Superman” – YouTube, DC
Cain expressed deeper concern about Gunn’s framing of Superman as a borderless political metaphor, rather than a uniquely American symbol with timeless values.
“The ‘American way’ is immigrant friendly, tremendously immigrant friendly,” Cain explained. “But there are rules. You can’t come in saying, ‘I want to get rid of all the rules in America, because I want it to be more like Somalia.’ Well, that doesn’t work, because you had to leave Somalia to come here… There have to be limits, because we can’t have everybody in the United States. Society will fail. So there have to be limits.”
Gunn’s remarks, including his claim that Superman is “an immigrant that came from other places and populated the country,” sparked immediate backlash online. Fox News branded the film “SuperWoke,” with host Jesse Watters sarcastically saying, “You know what it says on his cape? MS-13.”
Rahcel Brosnahan as Lois Lane in Superman – YouTube, DC
Former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway also criticized the messaging.
“We don’t go to the movie theater to be lectured to and to have somebody throw their ideology onto us,” she said during a segment.
Cain echoed that frustration, telling TMZ that politicizing Superman may backfire on Warner Bros. and DC at the box office.
“I think bringing Superman into it… I think that was a mistake by James Gunn to say it’s an immigrant thing, and I think it’s going to hurt the numbers on the movie,” Cain said. “I was excited for the film. I am excited to see what it is… I’m rooting for it to be a success, but I don’t like that last political comment.”
James Gunn attends the European Premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol 3” in Disneyland Paris on April 22, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by StillMoving.Net for Disney)
Meanwhile, Gunn appeared unfazed when questioned about the controversy at the film’s Los Angeles premiere.
“I don’t have anything to say to anybody,” he told Variety when asked by reporter Marc Malkin what he had to say to Trump supporters in the wake of his immigrant comment. “I think this is a movie about kindness, and I think that’s something everyone can relate to.”
But not everyone is playing it safe. Sean Gunn, James’ brother and the actor portraying billionaire antagonist Maxwell Lord in the new DC Universe, doubled down in his response to critics.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 27: (L-R) Sean Gunn and James Gunn attend the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 World Premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on April 27, 2023. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Disney)
“Yes, Superman is an immigrant, and yes, the people that we support in this country are immigrants,” Sean Gunn said. “And if you don’t like that, you’re not American. People who say no to immigrants are against the American way.”
That’s quite the irony, considering the studio dropped the “American way” from Superman’s motto.
Superman in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
As Superman prepares for wide release, it enters theaters with more than a cape and superpowers—it’s carrying the weight of yet another culture war over what our heroes should stand for. According to Dean Cain and many others, removing the core identity of the Man of Steel to satisfy Hollywood politics isn’t just misguided—it’s a betrayal of what Superman has always represented.
Do you agree with Dean Cain about Superman and politics? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
