Dean Cain, known for portraying Clark Kent in
“Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,”
has openly criticized the upcoming Superman film directed by James Gunn, describing it as excessively “woke.” Cain raised his concerns ahead of the movie’s July 11 release, focusing on the direction Gunn has taken with the character’s portrayal and themes.
Debate Over Superman’s Immigrant Narrative and Political Themes
During an interview with TMZ, Cain responded to Gunn’s remarks in The Sunday Times, where the filmmaker framed Superman as an immigrant story emphasizing human kindness. Gunn stated,
“I mean, Superman is the story of America,”
and explained that the character symbolizes “basic human kindness” in a time when society has lost that value. He also highlighted the film’s focus on politics and morality.
Cain, while acknowledging Superman’s immigrant background, worries that Gunn’s approach heavily politicizes the character and alters its traditional message. He questioned,
“How woke is Hollywood going to make this character? How much is Disney going to change their Snow White? Why are they going to change these characters to exist for the times?”
Cain criticized the replacement of the iconic phrase
“truth, justice, and the American way”
with
“truth, justice, and the human way,”
expressing his disagreement with this shift.
Cain’s Perspective on Tradition and Immigration Boundaries
According to Cain, Superman’s classic motto embodies immigrant friendliness while respecting societal rules. He argued,
“I don’t think is a great idea. I think if you want to create a new character, go ahead and do that. But for me, Superman has always stood for ‘truth, justice, and the American way’ — and the American way is tremendously immigrant friendly. But there are rules.”
He further clarified his stance regarding immigration limits by saying,
“You can’t come in saying, ‘I want to get rid of all the rules in America because I wanted to be more like Somalia.’ Well, that doesn’t work, because you had to leave Somalia to come here — so it doesn’t make any sense.”
Cain also stressed the need for examining governance in countries of origin for those seeking economic opportunity and insisted on restrictions to maintain societal stability:
“If people are coming for economic opportunity, let’s take a look at your government and why you don’t have that economic opportunity . . . And there have to be limits, because we can’t have everybody here in the United States . . . our society will fail.”
Possible Impact on Film’s Reception and Box Office Outlook
Cain fears that emphasizing the immigrant narrative and political themes could harm the audience’s reception of Gunn’s Superman. The film is projected to have a domestic opening between $120 million and $130 million, potentially securing the third-largest opening of the year behind “A Minecraft Movie” and “Lilo & Stitch.” The movie is set to debut in theaters nationwide on July 11, leaving anticipation high but also marked by this ongoing cultural debate.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Does James Gunn believe in God?
A. Gunn grew up in a Catholic household and has expressed that prayer remains significant for him. However, he also described himself as somewhat against religion.
Q. Why is James Gunn leaving Marvel?
A. When Gunn took on the role of co-CEO at DC Studios, he committed only to that brand and left Marvel Studios behind. Everyone knows that the writer and director of the Guardians of the Galaxy series developed strong connections with the film’s actors.
Q. What religion is James Gunn?
A. He grew up in a Catholic household in Manchester, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. He has five siblings: two actors, Sean and Matt, one screenwriter, Brian, and two others, Patrick and Beth. His family has Irish roots, with his father being from an Irish immigrant background.
