Is James Gunn’s Superman a Political Trojan Horse? Rumors Swirl About Musk-Like Lex Luthor and Ukraine Allegory

Is James Gunn’s Superman drawing political parallels to Ukraine and Elon Musk?

I’m not sure if you know this, but James Gunn — yes, James Gunn — has a movie coming out shortly. It’s about Superman, but the main takeaway here is that it’s by James Gunn.

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)

Anyway, the upcoming Superman film, directed by James Gunn and slated for release on July 11, 2025, has kicked its promotional efforts into high gear with new trailers, rumors, film clips, merchandise, and James Gunn almost everywhere you look.

One rumor in particular has stirred speculation about potential analogies to real-world figures and conflicts, particularly those involving a certain tech personality whose name rhymes with “Husk” and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine situation. These rumors, fueled by fan discussions on platforms like X, suggest that Gunn may be sneaking some subtle, real-world parallels into the film’s narrative.

Lex Luthor in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Superman’s nemesis, Lex Luthor, is allegedly set to be a tech-genius billionaire who likes to get himself involved in both American and foreign politics. Now, who does that remind you of? Of course, these parallels are entirely speculative, but I suppose that could be what those in the industry call a “coincidence.”

Elon Musk via AutismCapital on X

Those same rumors go on to suggest that the film’s storyline might incorporate some perhaps-not-so-subtle references to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, potentially framing Superman’s struggle to maintain his neutrality or to prevent escalation in a divided world (which Zack Snyder already did, by the way).

Some fans on X have suggested that the film’s rumored shift away from Superman’s classic “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” motto to “the Human Way” could reflect a narrative where Superman is forced to navigate geopolitical tensions like those in the Ukraine, balancing his personal intervention to save lives with the risk of escalating global conflict and getting caught in the inevitable quagmire that would ensue.

Superman fighting an unknown enemy in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC

While we won’t know for sure until the film opens, recent trailers featuring Lois Lane giving Superman the Third Degree over his international jaunts certainly seem to suggest that the movie is headed in that direction. Again, while Snyder did it first (nyah), he didn’t do it well enough to make 2016’s Batman vs. Superman a success, and these rumors raise similar concerns about the ability of Gunn’s Superman to handle such weighty analogies cohesively.

Furthermore, the rumored late-stage retooling of the film (noted by outlets such as World of Reel) and the rumored cutting of approximately 20 minutes of content may have also taken any existing nuanced commentary on real-world issues in the film and thrown it into a wood-chipper.

Superman arrested in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC

If the tech-bro and Russia-Ukraine analogies are indeed still present in the final cut of Superman, then James Gunn’s challenge will be in integrating them into the film’s narrative in such a way that it won’t alienate audiences with heavy-handed allegory or oversimplifying sensitive geopolitical realities.

Can he pull it off? One way or the other, we’ll have our answer soon.

Do you think Superman will feature heavy handed political messaging about the Ukraine and Elon Musk? Sound off in the comments and let us know!

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