Can ‘Superman’ Fly Above Today’s Polarized Politics?
The director of the reboot, James Gunn, called the superhero from the planet Krypton “an immigrant,” thrusting the summer popcorn movie into an Earthbound culture war.He may be faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. But can he transcend our polarized politics?This, it turns out, may be too big a job even for Superman.The reboot of “Superman” that was released in theaters on Friday is already sparking intense discussions — and a fair bit of criticism — from right-leaning media figures, even before many have had a chance to see the film.Much of the commentary has centered around an interview that the movie’s director, James Gunn, gave to The Times of London in which he spoke about the hero’s journey from Krypton to Kansas to Metropolis.“I mean, Superman is the story of America,” Gunn said. “An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”America? Great. Kindness? Awesome. Those are points on which fans of the world’s most recognizable superhero seem to agree.But an immigrant? That characterization — of a guy who, yes, was born on another planet and then traveled to Earth — has entangled the new “Superman” in the very Earthbound culture wars of 2025, amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More
