SUPERMAN Is ‘The Story of an Immigrant,’ Says James Gunn, and ‘Basic Human Kindness as a Value’

For Gunn, this means Superman is a universal story, as well as an American one of an immigrant finding his home. “It’s about kindness,” Gunn stresses, “I’m telling a story about a guy who is uniquely good.” A story that Gunn feels is much needed at this moment, offering at greater length, “This Superman does seem to come at a particular time when people are feeling a loss of hope in other people’s goodness. I’m telling a story about a guy who is uniquely good, and that feels needed now because there is a meanness that has emerged due to cultural figures being mean online.”

Basic human kindness seems like the simplest thing, but one that, as Gunn shares, does feel strangely out of reach these days. Gunn doesn’t expect Superman to alter that, but he does note, “I don’t make films to change the world, but if a few people could be just a bit nicer after this, it would make me happy.” And to those “jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness… Screw them.”

We love to see it. Although the idea of immigration and even kindness can feel political these days, Gunn shares the motivation is not necessarily politics; he reveals, “on another level it’s about morality. Do you never kill no matter what — which is what Superman believes — or do you have some balance, as Lois believes? It’s really about their relationship and the way different opinions on basic moral beliefs can tear two people apart.”

Those are some deep themes for a superhero movie to unpack, but given these comments, we’re excited to see Gunn’s work in Superman. After all, even America’s literal founding fathers were immigrants, just like Superman, and no matter who you are, we could all do with a little more basic human kindness in our day.

Superman releases on July 11, 2025.