James Gunn Says His ‘Superman’ Was Inspired by ‘Game of Thrones,’ Talks Krypto and Other Superheroes

James Gunn has finally unveiled his vision for “Superman” in the movie first teaser trailer released Thursday, unveiling a superhero movie that aims to balance “Game of Thrones”-style epic storytelling with humanity, according to the “Guardians of the Galaxy” filmmaker.

“That’s my main thing I’m trying to do as I march forward step by step, in writing the script, in building the film, in cutting it together, is to keep this amazing building that in many ways , shares as many elements with ‘Game of Thrones’ as it does with, say, the Marvel universe, which is another world where metahumans happen to exist, people don costumes and fight crime for all very different reasons, as you’ll see in the movie.” Gunn said in a post-trailer Q&A event held Monday at the Stephen J. Ross Theater.

Gunn detailed his approach to grounding fantastical elements in reality.

“If this thing was real, that’s always where I start. If there was a super dog, what would it be like? If there was a talking raccoon, where would it come from? And it tries to ground everything so weird, as it might be in reality, Kaijus, fortresses, the whole thing.”

In this version of the DC universe, Gunn explained, Superman exists in a world of superheroes. “This is an alternate history, fantasy world where superheroes exist, but it’s also incredibly grounded. It’s about real people having real lives. There’s just metahumans there. But Superman exists. He has friends who are other superheroes .He has people he doesn’t get along with, who are other superheroes.”

Gunn added: “He’s got a flying dog. He’s got a giant fortress that pops out of the ground. He’s fighting giant monsters. He’s got a lot of the things that we love from the Superman comics and the Superman mythology that we don’t have been able to see so much of in filmed media, and certainly not been able to see in a grounded way, which is what I hope we’ve created.”

David Corenswet, who plays Superman/Clark Kent, also shared his take on the character during the Q&A.

“I think a lot of people consider Superman to be a naive character, at least to have a naivety about him,” he said. “I think there’s an element of it, but I think it’s a kind of blindness to the little imperfections and the little conflicts, the little silly things that we get caught up in as human beings, I have a tend to miss them, and I think Superman misses them, and that’s what keeps him steadfast and determined to look at the good and the hopeful and the future and grounded in the fun and playfulness of today.

Rachel Brosnahan discussed bringing Lois Lane into the modern era: “Today, we live in a world where, for some, print journalism might be an endangered art form, and she’s someone who’s dedicated her whole life to it.” Brosnahan described Lois and Superman’s dynamic as “soulmates” who are “united in the fact that they are both in relentless pursuit of truth and justice, but they approach the world in completely different ways.”

She added: “I think the opposite ways are something that’s fun to watch. It’s fun to see them bump up against each other, sometimes in more ways than one, and then it’s fun to see those ways , to which they are really united. It’s a bit of a nothing burger of an answer, but they both work hard and love hard.”

Nicholas Hoult, who plays a very comical, accurate-looking Lex Luthor, explained that his character was grounded in a way that the audience at least understood where he was coming from.

“Obviously he’s smart and ruthless and he has to outmaneuver Superman on certain levels because he can’t match him on others, but there’s also something about this character, hopefully from my point of view, where even though you may not agree with his process there is an element where you could understand on some levels where he is coming from and why maybe what he is pushing as his ideology is maybe better for humanity,” he said.

The film will also feature a new version of John Williams’ iconic Superman theme. “Williams’ theme, that soundtrack is one of my favorite soundtracks of all time,” Gunn said. “When I was a kid, what I loved most about the movie was the music. That’s what I took home with me more than anything else.” Gunn added that composer John Murphy began working on the music before the script was finished.

“I want to use a version of the Williams theme, but I want to do our own version of it. And then that’s what you hear.” said Gunn. “What’s really amazing is how it leads to a lot of other pieces, some of which return to the Williams theme, but some of which are purely John Murphy, going into it, coming back and it is used beautifully throughout the film.”

Speaking to the core of the film, Gunn emphasized its core message: “I believe in the goodness of people, and I believe that most people in this country, despite their ideological beliefs or their politics, are doing their best to get by and cope say. trying to be good people. And I think that’s what this movie is about, it’s about the basic kindness of people.”

Filmed in IMAX, “Superman” is set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.

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