James Gunn: Anti-American Sentiment Affected Superman’s International Reception
According to CinemaDrame news agency, James Gunn, writer, director, and producer of Superman, believes that anti-American sentiment has contributed to the film’s underperformance in some international markets. While the film has met Warner Bros.’ expectations domestically—approaching $240 million after one week—it has grossed only $171 million outside the U.S.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Gunn explained why Superman may not resonate as strongly overseas:
“In some countries, he’s not a well-known superhero like Batman. That affects certain things. There’s a degree of anti-American sentiment that’s developed around the world. That doesn’t help us.”
Although Gunn has previously acknowledged the rise of “superhero fatigue” post-pandemic, he also pointed out that Hollywood myth-making has lost its luster, especially in the wake of Donald Trump’s political resurgence. A Global Times critic in China noted:
“The main issue, in my view, lies in the cultural disconnect around the evolution of Superman as a ‘fallen savior’ figure. His narrative—an outsider destined to save the world—has roots in Western individualism, whereas traditional Chinese heroism centers around collective sacrifice.”
In a separate interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gunn addressed debates over whether the film is “woke”:
“I hear people say it’s a woke movie, and then others saying it’s not. I’m curious what part people think is woke. I think people were reacting to something I said in a Times interview, about Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster being the children of immigrants, and that Superman was originally written as an immigrant story. And yes, it is a story about an immigrant—but more than that, it’s a story about kindness.”
The 122-minute superhero film stars David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as Superman and Lois Lane, with Nicholas Hoult as the villain Lex Luthor. The cast also includes Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer, Wendell Pierce as Perry White, and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern.
Superman has now surpassed $407 million globally.
