James Gunn’s Superman was supposed to mark a clean start for the DC Universe, but the controversial Jor-El message in which its revealed the infant Kal-El was sent to Earth as a conquerer was particularly polarizing with long time fans of the iconic hero.
David Corenswet as Superman flying in James Gunn’s “Superman” – YouTube, DC
Now, the digital release of Superman has created one of the strangest contradictions in recent superhero memory. A blink-and-you’ll-miss-it news ticker now suggests Lex Luthor faked the Kryptonian message at the center of the film’s drama. The problem? Gunn himself has repeatedly said the opposite — and he’s been emphatic about it.
The Message That Changed Everything
In theaters, one of the film’s most pivotal revelations comes when Lex Luthor unveils the hidden portion of Jor-El and Lara’s message to their son. Instead of an inspiring call to protect humanity, the recovered clip shows Superman’s parents instructing him to dominate Earth, eliminate any who oppose his rule, and to take many wives.
Superman and Krypto in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
The moment was designed to rattle Clark Kent — and the audience — by showing a chilling heritage he must reject. The movie itself goes out of its way to tell viewers this is no hoax:
- Mr. Terrific insists: “I know those computer-forensics guys. There’s no way [it was faked].”
- The Secretary of Defense agrees: “Think whatever you think about Luthor — but it’s real.”
- Lex Luthor doubles down himself: “It’s not doctored. It’s real.”
That was the story theaters delivered. But the digital release muddies the waters.
The Digital Release: “False Images”
When the film hit home platforms, viewers spotted something new during a Maxwell Lord broadcast at the very end.
A ticker noticed in the digital release of Superman that casts doubt on the infamous Jor-El Message – X, @DCFilm News
A ticker at the bottom of the screen reads: “The Daily Planet shows Luthor was behind the false images of Superman’s parents’ message…”
That single phrase — “false images” — flips the scene on its head. Instead of a horrifying Kryptonian legacy, the message becomes a smear job orchestrated by Lex Luthor.
This line was not reported in the theatrical cut. It’s possible that because it’s such a small text scroll that no one noticed it on the big screen before they had the ability to rewind and pause. However, it also could have been added for the digital release — a quiet adjustment that directly contradicts the film’s original presentation in the wake of massive fan backlash.
Superman’s parents’ message may have been altered:
“The Daily Planet shows Luthor was behind the false images of supermanʼs parentsʼ message claiming that…” pic.twitter.com/3XJDsGHnOf
— DC Film News (@DCFilmNews) August 15, 2025
Whether it was included in the original theatrical cut or it was added later on, this revelation flies in the face of one of the many…many… interviews James Gunn has given in the last several months.
James Gunn’s Denial
Here’s where the contradiction becomes impossible to ignore. James Gunn has gone on record multiple times to stress that the Kryptonian message is real, not faked.
In one interview, Gunn said he was baffled that audiences even questioned it:
“How can someone not think it’s real? I don’t understand.”
He explained that in test screenings, people consistently asked whether the message had been doctored — something that surprised him, because the movie itself contains several characters explicitly stating the opposite.
Gunn tied that doubt to today’s climate of mistrust, comparing it to audiences’ skepticism in an era of AI and deepfakes.
James Gunn introduces the trailer for Peacemaker Season 2 – YouTube, DC
“In the test screenings, people were like, ‘Is it real?’” he remarked. “You know, AI, nobody trusts anything.”
From Gunn’s perspective, the whole point of the scene is that Superman rejects his true Kryptonian legacy in favor of his Earthly upbringing. The drama only works if the message is authentic. If it’s fake, the story’s thematic backbone collapses.
Two Versions, Two Stories
So, which is it?
Dialogue in the film and Gunn himself emphasize that the message is real. However, in the digital release fans suddenly notice a news ticker that calls it “false images” tied to Lex Luthor.
Lex Luthor in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
That leaves audiences with two competing interpretations of the same movie, depending on which version they watch.
This isn’t a minor continuity slip. The authenticity of Superman’s heritage is the core of Gunn’s reboot.
- If the message is real, Superman’s story is about choosing compassion over tyranny.
- If the message is fake, then the stakes are reduced to Lex Luthor running a disinformation campaign.
James Gunn and David Corenswet sit for an interview about Superman – YouTube, Fandango
The bigger concern? If this was indeed added in for the digital release, studios are now altering films between theatrical and digital release without telling audiences. Superman may be the first high-profile case of a modern blockbuster contradicting itself across formats through this Jor-El message.
Conclusion
James Gunn told fans, critics, and interviewers that the Kryptonian Jor-El message in Superman was real. The film’s dialogue backs him up. But the digital version of Superman potentially inserted a line that says the opposite.
Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane in James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
Is this a quiet retcon by Warner Bros.? A subtle Easter egg meant for sequels? Or just an editing mistake? Whatever the explanation, the result is the same: Superman now exists in two versions — one that follows Gunn’s vision, and one that undermines it.
And until Warner Bros. addresses it, the controversy isn’t going away.
Do you think the Superman Jor-El message was real or fake? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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I will be happy if the message turns out to fake. It was one of the most jarring, and unwelcome, changes to the standard Superman legend.
it doesn’t make up for some of the other issues, like the disastrous version of Supergirl they’re using, but it helps a little.
Sorry gunn, I’m waiting for the next iteration of Superman, this wasn’t it.
Agreed. I wasn’t a particularly huge fan of Snyder, but James Gunn was NOT the right guy to replace him.
“Instead of an inspiring call to protect humanity, the recovered clip shows Superman’s parents instructing him to dominate Earth, eliminate any who oppose his rule, and to take many wives.”
Huh, just like all the Muslims and Pakis brag about doing in every western White country. I guess Superman really is just like all the “immigrants”.
[…] are, and Luthor altered the video to turn the world against Superman. The question, as posed by That Park Place, is whether this is a holdover from the theatrical cut of the film, which is entirely possible […]
Is she whistling Dixie? Blowing on her toe nails. Blowing the tiniest…? Getting ready for a brand new straw?