James Gunn, the director of the new ‘Superman’ film, has addressed accusations that his movie was considered ‘woke,’ clarifying its central message of kindness and morality. The director faced backlash for initial remarks about the character’s immigrant origins and its connection to American values, which some critics linked to contemporary political debates.
During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gunn explained that the film’s primary focus was on kindness rather than political ideology. He recalled an earlier interview with The Sunday Times where he mentioned that Superman is the story of America, framed as an immigrant’s journey to populate the United States. The reporter, however, noted that the character’s creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, were themselves immigrants, leading to the interpretation of Superman’s story as an immigrant narrative.
Despite this, Gunn insisted that the film was not about political issues but rather about the value of kindness. ‘That’s the thing we can all act upon, is kindness,’ he stated. ‘And so what does that lead to? Well, does that lead to the way you vote? Sure. Does that lead to everything? Yeah.’ Gunn also highlighted that kindness has been a traditional American value but has seemingly diminished in recent times.
The film was released amid ongoing national discussions on immigration, with the director facing criticism for his initial comments about the character’s immigrant background. In the same interview, he acknowledged that some people might find the film’s focus on kindness offensive, but he stood by his message, stating, ‘But screw them.’ The film, first introduced in 1938, is based on the work of Siegel and Shuster in Cleveland, Ohio, and continues to be a subject of debate in cultural and political discourse.