What Superman Has In Common With Every Other James Gunn Movie
by Rick Stevenson · /FilmThis article contains spoilers for "Superman."
Some people might fear that with a main character as massive and mainstream as Superman, James Gunn would lose some of the distinctive directorial flair that's made him such a popular director in the horror and comic book movie spaces. But while Gunn's "Superman" is indeed different in some ways from his past work (a brighter tone, for example, and a more breakneck pace to fit in all pieces of its massive, DCU-establishing scope), it's still a Gunn flick through and through.
A look at the "Superman" trailer footage and the cast list alone should give you a decent amount of confidence on that front. While lead stars David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult aren't part of Gunn's typical recurring roster of actors, the supporting cast is filled with familiar faces. Nathan Fillion, who's been collaborating with the writer/director since "Slither" in 2006, plays Green Lantern Guy Gardner. Other Gunn usuals featured in "Superman" include his brother Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord (in a small cameo at the end of the movie), Bradley Cooper as Superman's Kryptonian father Jor-El, and Michael Rooker and Pom Klementieff as two of the Superman robots in the Fortress of Solitude.
The biggest similarities to Gunn's larger body of work, however, lie in the film's tone. Yes, it may be a bit more bright and hopeful than his satirical, dark comedy work or the more trauma-forward storylines of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, but the abject weirdness and strong personality that has defined the director's later-period work is still very much present in "Superman."
James Gunn's Superman embraces weirdness
When the first "Guardians of the Galaxy" movie came out, it was a huge test for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While more famous and popular heroes like Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America had found great success in the franchise, nobody outside of the comic book world knew what a Groot or a Rocket Raccoon was. When "Guardians of the Galaxy" became a smash hit (and one of the best-regarded entries in the entire MCU), it opened things up to include weirder and weirder aspects of the comic book lore: Bizarre aliens in colorful makeup and prosthetics, weird creatures, monsters, the works.
That love of weirdness didn't start when Gunn joined Marvel Studios. It's been a part of his work ever since his directorial debut with "Slither," and though it's often taken darker turns in films like "Super," the core tenet of embracing the bizarre has always been at the heart of Gunn's work. Who else would have picked Starro as the main villain of "The Suicide Squad"?
"Superman" is arguably his campiest film yet, from the midtown Metropolis kaiju fights to the almost slapstick comedy in the Daily Planet offices, to Guy Gardner's ridiculous bowl cut. It's a film that digs deep into the many strange, often forgotten corners of the Superman comics and pulls out gems, mixing them together into a stew that no one could mistake as any director's other than Gunn.
Like Gunn's other movies, Superman is driven by personality
In addition to the weirdness factor, Gunn has become well known for his large ensemble casts, both in the "Guardians" movies and "The Suicide Squad." Though this is technically a solo film for Superman, the ensemble is massive, and everyone from Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi in a film-stealing performance) to Rick Flag (Frank Grillo) gets their moments to contribute. The cast is fantastic, with each actor bringing a ton of personality — even if it's just for a handful of lines. That sort of energy is what makes Gunn's blockbusters feel so jam-packed.
The licensed music is back too, though not as heavily (or as diegetic) as it was in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy. Still, if you know those movies, they'll certainly come to mind whenever Gunn decides to add a needle drop. Again, this isn't something unique to Gunn's IP work. Go back and rewatch "Super," and you'll get an earful of eclectic radio hits there as well.
It's inarguable that "Superman" carries more weight than any film Gunn has previously made, and it's probably his most family-friendly as well (not that "Guardians" isn't, but Superman demands a different tone). But this is a Gunn film from start to finish, for better or worse, bringing all that entails.
"Superman" is in theaters now.