All eyes on “Superman” this weekend. Can it succeed at the box office? The reviews are alright: 82% on Rotten Tomatoes and 69 on Metacritic. Moviegoers seem excited, although there’s a block that likely won’t be headed to theaters for one particular reason.
Dean Cain, who played Superman on ABC’s “Lois & Clark,” from 1993 to 1997, is joining the growing chorus of voices that’s going to boycott Gunn’s Superman reboot. Speaking to TMZ (via Entertainment Weekly), Cain criticized what he sees as a politicized reinvention of the iconic character, especially Gunn’s framing of Superman as an “immigrant” — a comment that’s ignited backlash among right-leaning pundits and fans alike.
“How woke is Hollywood going to make this character? How much is Disney going to change their Snow White? For Superman, it was ‘truth, justice, and the American way.’ Well, they dropped that… They came up with ‘truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.’ Changing beloved characters I don’t think is a great idea. If you want to create a new character go ahead and do that.”
Cain warned that framing Superman as a metaphor for open-border immigration risks alienating audiences. He’s even saying that it might hurt the film’s box-office numbers, which have been tracking quite well ($110M range) since the review embargo lifted.
I think bringing Superman into it… I think that was a mistake by James Gunn to say it’s an immigrant thing, and I think it’s going to hurt the numbers on the movie. I was excited for the film. I am excited to see what it is […] I’m rooting for it to be a success, but I don’t like that last political comment.
Gunn’s earlier remark to The Times of London — describing Superman as “an immigrant” and the hero’s story as “the story of America” — has sparked conservative media criticism, with Fox News dubbing the movie “SuperWoke.” lol. Jesse Watters took it a step further, mocking the character with a crude joke: “You know what it says on his cape? MS-13.”
The controversy has ballooned into a full-blown culture war.
However, despite the noise, it’s unlikely the controversy will meaningfully impact the film’s box office performance. While conservative pundits and political commentators may make headlines with their objections, I don’t think a major IP-driven blockbuster of this caliber will be hurt. Online chatter may amplify the polarization, but it also feeds into free marketing and increased curiosity. Once you watch the film, you’ll realize there’s nothing “woke” in it.
Gunn has remained unfazed. “This is a movie about kindness,” he told Variety at the film’s premiere. “And I think that’s something everyone can relate to.” Meanwhile, his brother Sean Gunn, who plays Maxwell Lord in the film, doubled down, and was way more militant:
My reaction to [the backlash] is that it is exactly what the movie is about. 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. People who say no to immigrants are against the American way.
Warner Bros.’ “Superman” hits theaters tomorrow.