Director James Gunn’s Brother Sean Reacts To Backlash Against ‘Superman’ Immigrant Angle On Red Carpet: “We Support Our People”
James Gunn came clean and made it clear that Superman will be political as well as an immigrant story. “(Superman’s) an immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost,” the director said in a Times of London interview.
“Yes, it plays differently, but it’s about human kindness,” he added. “And obviously, there will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness. But screw them.” The expected reaction was swift, with many analysts labeling the film “SUPERWOKE,” especially on Fox News.
FNC Correspondent and former Trump campaign manager and consultant Kellyanne Conway, sitting in for Sean Hannity, reacted thusly (via ComicBookMovie): “We don’t go to the movie theater to be lectured to and to have somebody throw their ideology onto us.” Variety, writing the reaction off as coming from “MAGA,” asked Gunn on the red carpet at the Superman premiere his response.
He walked back his remarks a little and said, “I’m not here to judge people. I think this is a movie about kindness, and I think that’s something everyone can relate to.” His brother Sean, who takes over for Pedro Pascal by playing Maxwell Lord in the film, was more direct and didn’t skirt around the issue of what kind of message Superman is sending.
“My reaction to (the backlash) is that it is exactly what the movie is about. We support our people, you know? We love our immigrants. Yes, Superman is an immigrant, and yes, the people that we support in this country are immigrants, and if you don’t like that, you’re not American. People who say no to immigrants are against the American way,” said Sean Gunn.
It’s interesting that he uses “the American way” in his answer, aside from the blatant way he is twisting those words to advocate a current thing. DC is so averse to using the phrase that they substituted it before with “a better tomorrow.” Superman’s marketing went a different route with the ambiguous “the human way” seen on leaked packaging.
Sean Gunn is the first person with any connection to DC in years to say “American way” in any capacity, and maybe the last. Our latest Man of Steel, David Corenswet, won’t even say it, preferring “all those good things” instead, which may be a studio-assigned verbiage.
Guy Gardner actor Nathan Fillion took a lighthearted, if equally condescending, approach to his answer when he got the microphone, offering hugs. “Somebody needs a hug. It’s just a movie, guys,” he said about the controversy. Indeed… we shall see how much movie it is, and if it’s worth a hug, by Friday.
NEXT: ‘Smallville’ Is A Definitive Iteration Of Superman For Stars Of James Gunn’s Reboot
