Director James Gunn’s take on his new “Superman” movie appears to be kryptonite to conservatives after he described the iconic comic book character as an “immigrant,” an analysis that Clark Kent fans are all too familiar with.
Gunn — in a Sunday feature for The Times of London — described “Superman” as the “story of America,” adding that it highlights an immigrant who “came from other places and populated the country.”
He continued, “But for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”
Gunn, who noted that the movie is about “politics” as well as “morality,” said he expects “jerks out there who are just not kind” and will be offended “just because it is about kindness.”
“But screw them,” he said.
The story of “Superman” has been viewed as an allegory for immigrants. The character’s creators — Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster — were the children of Jewish immigrants and its publisher DC Comics once shared that the Man of Steel was himself a “refugee.”
Gunn’s description was met with right-wing criticism on social media and was the focus of debate on Fox News’ “The Five” on Monday in a segment that featured the chyron “SUPERWOKE.”
“We don’t go to the movie theater to be lectured to and to have somebody throw their ideology onto us. I wonder if it’ll be successful,” said ex-Trump White House counselor Kellyanne Conway.
Fox News host Jesse Watters chimed in, “You know what it says on his cape? MS-13.”
Gunn, when asked by Variety about MAGA world criticism at the “Superman” premiere on Monday, said that he thinks the film is for “everybody.”
“I’m not here to judge people,” Gunn said. “I think this is a movie about kindness and I think that’s something everyone can relate to.”
Sean Gunn, the director’s brother who plays supervillain Maxwell Lord in the film, swiftly defended his sibling.
“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,” he told Variety.
“People who say no to immigrants are against the American way.”