Mike Francesa, the renowned New York sports radio host, delivered a harsh critique of the James Gunn Superman movie during a recent podcast, labeling it “unmitigated garbage” and “pure torture.” Known predominantly for his expertise in baseball and football, Francesa’s rare dive into cinema yielded a scathing denunciation, reflecting his deep disappointment with the film’s portrayal of the iconic character.
Francesa’s Strong Opening on the Film’s Poor Quality
Though not a member of the typical superhero movie audience, Francesa grew up admiring the character, especially through the portrayal by George Reeves. Despite this emotional connection, his reaction to James Gunn’s adaptation was unequivocally negative. He insisted that if a film like this was to be presented, it had to be done with great care and polish – a standard the movie failed to meet.
“You better dress it up because you know what? When you’re going to present the kind of stuff that I saw last night, you better dress it up and really dress it up because it was awful. It wasn’t bad — it was awful.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
Superman’s Portrayal as Weak and Vulnerable Throughout
Francesa expressed disbelief at how defenseless the new Superman appeared, contrasting the character unfavorably with past portrayals, notably Christopher Reeve’s. He criticized the film for spending excessive time showing Superman enduring punishment, finding it frustrating and anticlimactic.
“This was two hours of this new Superman who was a D. He wasn’t Christopher Reeve, but he was okay. Two hours of him getting the crap beat out of him. Who wants to see Superman get beat up for two hours?”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
“Everybody in the movie is beating the heck out of him. I thought Jimmy Olsen was going to take a shot at him. I thought Lois Lane was going to throw him out a window.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
Confused by Odd Additions Like a Superpowered Dog
Francesa was bewildered by the inclusion of unexpected elements like robots and Krypto the Superdog, calling into question the creative decisions behind such choices. He found it strange that a dog was given more heroic presence than Superman himself, and lamented the modern depiction of classic supporting characters.
“First of all, early on there’s robots. I don’t want robots. Okay, I don’t want robots taking care of Superman. I don’t. Then there’s a super dog. Who came up with a super dog? I mean, we all like dogs, okay? But who came up with a dog with a cape?”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
“The dog was a bigger hero than Superman. Lois Lane was a much bigger hero. And Jimmy Olsen, who used to be a, you know, an 18-year-old cub reporter with a brownie camera, he’s basically dissing supermodels everyweekend.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
Disbelief Over Lois Lane’s Sci-Fi Role
Francesa took issue with the film’s shift into more outlandish science fiction, especially the portrayal of Lois Lane piloting a spaceship to rescue Superman. He found the storyline jarring and difficult to accept, questioning the overall tone and direction of the movie.
“This is not made for Lois Lane to be driving a spaceship to save Superman. I’m like, what the heck am I watching here?”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
“This movie is so bad that if you ask me to go sit through it again, I would want major, major cash before I could do it.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
A Deep Sense of Disrespect Toward Superman’s Legacy
Having grown up watching Superman on Saturday mornings, Francesa felt the movie was a disservice to the character’s rich history. He described the film as a “bad sci-fi movie” that insulted the legacy of the Man of Steel, emphasizing that it was an assault on his personal memories as well as the broader Superman mythos.
“It was a bad sci-fi movie and an insult to the Superman tradition, to the Superman legend. As someone who used to watch him on Channel 11 on Saturday morning, this was an affront to my senses.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
“This was a disaster before you get into all the Middle East innuendos.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
Questioning the Film’s Creators and Their Judgment
Francesa speculated that the creative team behind the movie, including James Gunn and the writers, might have been under the influence of drugs, given the bizarre and poorly executed nature of the film. His contempt extended to the consultants as well, whom he accused of being “absolutely rocked” during production.
“This is just awful… I actually think the people who wrote this must have been on some kind of hallucinogen before they decided that this was a wrap and this was what they were going to go with.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
“The creative consultants and the writers in this thing must have all been absolutely rocked before they made this thing. That’s how bad it was.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
Francesa’s Final Verdict on the Superman Film
Without naming James Gunn or lead actor David Corenswet directly, Francesa made his feelings unmistakably clear. He described the film as an overwhelming failure and confessed that he considered self-inflicted pain just to stay awake through the screening. He also dismissed any discussion with fans who enjoyed the movie.
“This was dreadful. The worst thing I’ve ever seen. I was thinking about inflicting pain to myself just to keep myself awake.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
“I’m not even going to debate with someone who liked this.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
Impact of Francesa’s Criticism on Public Perception
Mike Francesa’s brutal dissection of the James Gunn Superman movie has sparked extensive debate among moviegoers and fans. His reputation lends weight to his words, making his assessment one of the harshest public condemnations the film has faced so far. For those expecting a traditional Superman experience, Francesa’s advice is blunt and unequivocal.
“Give me a break. That’s not Superman. That’s garbage.”
—Mike Francesa, Radio Personality
This controversy is likely to influence viewers’ expectations going forward and may pressure the filmmakers to address audience concerns in future projects.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Why is James Gunn leaving Marvel?
A. In 2018, James Gunn lost his job at Marvel. This happened after old tweets with offensive jokes about sensitive topics like pedophilia and abuse caused public anger.
Q. What is James Gunn’s religion?
A. Ozu inspired the updated, CGI version of Krypto the Superdog in Gunn’s 2025 Superman adaptation. Raised in a Catholic family, Gunn still values prayer, but he described himself as “in some ways, anti-religion.”
Q. What religion is James Gunn?
A. Gunn grew up in a Catholic household and has shared that prayer still matters in his life. However, he also described himself as being “somewhat against religion.”
