The Recurring James Gunn Theme That Makes Him Perfect For Superman

Writer, director, and producer James Gunn has quite a bit resting on his shoulders as the co-head of DC Studios (with Peter Safran), but nothing feels as important as the success of his upcoming “Superman” film. “Superman” is going to be crucial not only for DC Studios but for parent company Warner Bros. as well, and its success will determine the future of the new DC Universe, which will expand into films and TV shows about other DC comics heroes and villains. The first trailer for “Superman” showed other Justice League characters like Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced) and Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion) as well as Supes, which made some fans worry that Gunn might lean into his tendency toward ensemble pieces. 

After all, he’s best known for his work on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films as well as DC’s “The Suicide Squad” at the cineplex along with shows like the Max originals “Peacemaker” and “Creature Commandos,” all of which depict found families comprised of damaged but lovable weirdoes. 

Fans of the last son of Krypton might have some worries that Gunn is going to do the same thing with “Superman,” bringing in other characters and losing focus on Clark Kent/Superman (David Corenswet), but honestly Superman stories work best as a bit of an ensemble. Gunn’s use of found family stories is perfect for “Superman,” and could actually make it stronger.

Almost every superhero or masked vigilante has some kind of found family, whether they’re a part of something like the Justice League, have a whole cave full of batkids and various sidekicks with bird names, or even if they just have a couple of close friends like pre-Avengers Spider-Man. After all, stopping the bad guys and saving the world can come with a lot of heavy baggage, baggage that sometimes they can’t really share with their blood relatives for a variety of reasons. 

Gunn seems to understand this intimately, creating superhero stories about found families that feel truly heartfelt while having a variety of tones. The heroes at their center can be pretty different, too, as the foul-mouthed, eternally problematic Peacemaker (John Cena) from “Peacemaker” is nothing like Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) from “Guardians of the Galaxy,” other than a shared penchant for over-confidence in themselves. 

Having an understanding of how superheroes endure their situations through human (and superhuman) companionship helps make these characters more relatable, and ultimately makes their stories more compelling. Even when the characters are as close to perfect as can be, like Superman, they still need others, and that hasn’t always been reflected onscreen.

The very best “Superman” adaptations have all seemed to understand that Superman as a character doesn’t work well in a vacuum. Shows like “Smallville” and films like Richard Donner’s “Superman” have shown us that Clark Kent longs for connection with humans, perhaps even more than humans want it in one another. He feels a pull to be human, and the people he surrounds himself with make him more than just a guy who can fly and is impervious to injury. Gunn has emphasized that his “Superman” film is not an ensemble piece but focuses mostly on Clark and those most closely surrounding him, including love interest Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and his super-dog, Krypto. 

Gunn has also said that his “Superman” is about just one thing: kindness. That kindness can only be shown by having Superman interact with others, which means a strong ensemble. Superman is not an ideal because of some misguided ideas about American individualism and excellence but rather because he rejects those ideas and tries to do what is best for everyone. He is extraordinarily humble and kind, and it’s these traits that make his Kryptonian powers matter because he puts them to good use. Seeing the relationships Clark has with the people in his life is at least just as important as seeing him fight the bad guys and fly through the sky, because it’s the only part of his goodness that we mere humans can actually emulate. 

“Superman” will hit theaters nationwide on July 11, 2025.