James Gunn’s latest batch ofSupermancomments has eased any final worries I had about the movie’s tone. When it was announced thatJames Gunn was making aSupermanmovie, I admit my reaction was somewhat mixed. I was incredibly excited, given Gunn’s excellent track record in the MCU with one of the best superhero trilogies ever made:Guardians of the Galaxy. However, when looking atupcoming DC movieslikeSupermanwith Gunn’s specific brand of humor in mind, I was somewhat skeptical.
Supermanis a very different project in terms of tone and character to theGuardiansmovies and Gunn’s other DC efforts likeThe Suicide SquadandPeacemaker.Naturally, thecast of characters inSupermanwould be less humorous, and I wondered whether Gunn could stifle his affinity for jokes and gags in a way that would make the DCU’s Man of Steel feel more earnest. Thetrailers forSupermanbegan easing these worries, yet Gunn’s latest comments have finally put them to bed completely.
Superman’s Tone Will Be Very Different To The Guardians Of The Galaxy
And Rightfully So
The comments in question from Gunn come from a recent interview withRolling Stone.One of the subjects of this interview was how Gunn managed to crack the writing ofSuperman, given that the filmmaker was offered the chance to direct a Man of Steel movie before doing 2021’sThe Suicide Squad. Gunn turned this opportunity down, as he was unsure of how to write that character, yet a change in his viewpoint led to him acceptingSupermanafter becoming the co-CEO of DC Studios.
Gunn simply realized that something within him needed to change relating to how he would approach the tone of his characters. Gunn was asked about a scene withinSuperman, shown in the official trailer, involving Lois interviewing Clark which felt more grounded than anything the filmmaker did onGuardians. In response,Gunn stated:“That’s a huge thing for me. I have long talking scenes in Guardians, but they are stuffed with jokes. And that’s not the case here. There’s funny stuff that happens in that scene, but it’s all situational.”
Rather than be stuffed with jokes for joke’s sake,Superman’s interactions will be much more grounded…
As I have already alluded to, this has eased my worries thatSupermanwould undercut its more serious moments with humor, as tended to happen inGuardiansor evenThe Suicide Squad.This is not to say the latter two do not have emotional moments, as they certainly do, and to great effect. Here, though, Gunn has clearly taken a different approach, with these comments being the most direct comparison betweenSupermanand his past movies the filmmaker has made thus far. Rather than be stuffed with jokes for joke’s sake,Superman’s interactions will be much more grounded.
Superman’s Tone Comes Entirely From Kal-El’s Character
The Titular Character Drives Superman’s Atmosphere
To make these comments even more interesting, Gunn hints that Kal-El’s character is a big reason for this change. In doing so, Gunn also makes another comparison toGuardians of the Galaxy, proving how tonally different the former will be from the latter. On Superman’s character, Gunn insisted:
“But the very-good nature of him, this really strong belief in what’s right, sometimes perhaps to a fault, is what makes Superman who he is. And that is not Star-Lord or Rocket. That’s not a guy who’s angry or covering up his emotions. He’s pretty pure.”
Evidently, it was Superman’s purity that made Gunn make this tonal change. Characters like Star-Lord and Rocket fromGuardians of the Galaxyhave a lot of trauma, trauma that they hide from using humor. Clark Kent is not like that and, despite having his own traumatic history, uses that to be a paragon of unabashed goodness. Clark does not need to cover up any anger with humor, instead letting his genuine goodness drive him. In this way,Superman’s tone was dictated by him.
James Gunn’s Comments About Superman’s Tone Proves The DCU Could Copy The MCU’s Best Trick
The DCU Can Benefit From Gunn’s Willingness To Shift Tones
Although these comments from Gunn eased any final worries I had aboutSuperman’s tone, they also made me even more excited about the DCU’s future than I already was. The reason for this is how the DCU could emulate the MCU by having each movie feel different from the last. While some MCU movies have, sometimes rightfully, been criticized as being studio-led productions with little flair that stifled directorial vision, the best of the Infinity Saga showcased the opposite.
With Gunn’s willingness to change tone as and when it is necessary, I am hopeful the DCU will be the same. Admittedly, the next few years of the franchise already prove this will come into effect.Supermanis a movie driven by the character’s purity, whilePeacemakerseason 2will allow Gunn to flex his humorous writing once more.
Supergirlwill then be a more sci-fi/fantasy adventure based on the comic book on which it is based, withLanternsbeing a detective show andClayfacecoming from a dramatized horror writer in Mike Flanagan. Already,the DCU is showing a massive willingness to change up the tone from what audiences usually associate with James Gunn’s creative style.Supermanwill only be the start of this, with Gunn easing any worries it will be a humorous repeat ofGuardians of the GalaxyorThe Suicide Squad.
