In James Gunn’s Superman, the iconic hero Clark Kent, also known as Kal-El (David Corenswet), faces arrest following a leak orchestrated by his adversary Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). This leak reveals a directive from Superman’s biological parents, Jor-El (Bradley Cooper) and Lara Lor-Van (Angela Sarafyan), instructing him to rule the Earth. To rescue his kidnapped dog Krypto, Superman surrenders to authorities, who delegate his detention and interrogation to PlanetWatch, a LuthorCorp division tasked with defending Earth from alien threats. This James Gunn Superman scene cut highlights the film’s darker thematic direction.
Conspiracy and Captivity: Luthor’s Scheme Unfolds
Superman is apprehended by Luthor’s metahuman agents: the nanite-infused Engineer (María Gabriela de Faría) and Ultraman, an imperfect clone of Superman (also played by Corenswet). They collaborate with General Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) to hand over Superman to Luthor. The Man of Steel is confined in a pocket universe, accessed through dimensional portals established worldwide by Luthor.
Meanwhile, it is revealed that Luthor is in league with Boravian president Vasil Ghurkos (Zlatko Burić). Together, they have engineered a war between Boravia and Jarhanpur, providing a pretext to eliminate Superman. During this tense conflict, President Ghurkos witnesses Luthor’s brutal interrogation of Superman, who is vulnerable due to kryptonite exposure. During this event, Luthor coldly executes Malik Ali (Dinesh Thyagarajan), a falafel vendor who had previously aided Superman during a kaiju assault on Metropolis, another attack manipulated by Luthor for his gain.
The Omitted Scene’s Unflinching Darkness
Director James Gunn disclosed in a podcast that the sequence showing Malik’s death was originally much more harrowing before being edited for the final cut. The deleted footage showed Superman’s visceral agony as he watches Luthor shoot the innocent man.
“There’s a really dark thing in there. There was a really dark thing,”
Gunn said.
“Once I saw the movie, I’m like, ‘This is [too dark].’ So Lex shoots the guy in the head, that was always done in this extreme wide [shot] so it’s not too graphic. But the guy fell on the ground, and blood is pouring out onto the platform, and Lex looks down and sees the blood is about to get on his shoes.”
—James Gunn, Director
In the original version, when blood threatens to stain his footwear, Luthor orders President Ghurkos to lie down and absorb the blood rather than let it touch his shoes.
“Ghurkos goes, ‘What? No!’ And Nic looks at him, and his delivery is great, because he looks at him straight and [says], ‘No?’ And then Ghurkos, sheepishly, sadly, trudges forward and lays down on his back.”
—James Gunn, Director
“And [Burić], he’s so funny. He lays down on his back and starts soaking up the blood. Then Nic looks over at Superman and says, ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’”
—James Gunn, Director
Gunn confirmed that although this intense scene was filmed, it was removed early in the editing process and was never even included in test screenings, as it overwhelmed the film’s tone with its bleakness.
The Impact of the Cut Scene on the Film’s Tone
This cut underscores James Gunn’s balancing act of keeping his Superman story dark yet accessible. Including such a graphic moment might have pushed the film toward a level of brutality that could alienate many viewers despite its intentions to show the severe consequences of Luthor’s actions. With the scene omitted, the film retains its tense and uneasy atmosphere while focusing on Superman’s struggle within political and physical captivity in Metropolis and beyond.
The removal of this violent content suggests a careful consideration of audience reception and narrative pacing, indicating Gunn’s intent to tell a story that is impactful but not overwhelmingly grim. Fans and critics alike can expect to see how these themes play out in the ongoing unfolding of Superman’s journey against Luthor’s machinations, with future developments likely exploring further the consequences of these character conflicts.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Does James Gunn believe in God?
A. Gunn grew up in a Catholic home and has shared that prayer is still significant in his life. However, he has expressed being somewhat against organized religion.
Q. Is James Gunn no longer with Marvel?
A. Gunn collaborated with Marvel Studios on the Guardians of the Galaxy series. Later, he became co-CEO of DC Studios in 2022.
Before this role, Gunn directed The Suicide Squad (2021) for DC. He had been let go from Marvel but was later rehired for Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
Q. What is James Gunn’s religion?
A. Gunn’s 2025 Superman adaptation features a CGI version of Krypto the Superdog, inspired by Ozu. Gunn grew up in a Catholic family and still values prayer, yet he describes himself as “in some ways, anti-religion.”
