James Gunn Breaks Silence on Superman, Defends the DCU’s Most Controversial Decision

James Gunn is not backing down from the boldest swing in his new DCU kickoff. His Superman movie tweaks the origin in a way that had fans arguing on day one, and now Gunn has spelled out exactly why he did it and why he is not undoing it.

The twist: what Krypton really asked of Kal-El

In the 2025 film, baby Kal-El arrives on Earth with a recorded message from his parents, Jor-El and Lara. Clark grows up believing that message told him to be a kind protector of Earth. Later, we find out the full thing: his parents also wanted him to carry on Kryptonian heritage and, ultimately, rule the planet. That is not a Lex Luthor trick, not a fake insert, not a later manipulation. It is the real message from his actual parents.

Gunn explains why

On the director commentary track for Superman, Gunn lays out the thinking. He says he is a lifelong Superman guy and he does not want to mess with the fundamentals: Superman’s goodness, his refusal to kill, his love for Lois Lane, even the classic curl. The goal was to add texture without breaking the character. And for the record, he points out, Jor-El is not universally saintly across all comics canon — there are runs where he is a lot more complicated.

'It is not something that is going to be retrofitted in the future.'

Translation: this is not a placeholder twist that gets erased later. Gunn says the Krypton directive is part of Clark’s life in this continuity, period.

Why make Superman’s parents... like that?

Gunn’s argument is that the reveal sharpens Superman’s moral compass. Clark believes he was sent to save people; his parents also hoped he would take charge and eventually rule Earth. That tension forces him to define himself against a destiny he never asked for. It is the same Superman at his core, choosing who he is, not what he was programmed to be.

• The Kryptonian message is authentic — not planted by Lex Luthor.
• Gunn says he will not retcon this in any future DCU project.
• Core Superman traits remain: he is good-hearted, he does not kill, he loves Lois, yes, the curl stays.
• There is comics precedent for a less-than-benevolent Jor-El.
• The change is meant to elevate Clark’s arc by having him reject a parental mandate to rule.

Fans are already debating it (of course)

A clip from the commentary is making the rounds on social media — posted by @JuanEditzs on September 24, 2025 — with the kind of caption that basically says some folks are not going to like this. Inside baseball or not, Gunn is clearly fine with that. The choice is locked in.