"I Don't Think Anybody Knows Superman Unless They Know Both Of Him": James Gunn's Explanation Of Superman's Identity Shows He Truly Understands The Character

Superman will focus on both the Clark Kent and Man of Steel sides of the character, and James Gunn has explained how he views the hero's identity. Every live-action version of Superman has done a great job with at least one side of the character. However, not all of them managed to make Clark and Superman matter equally. Thankfully, that will not be a problem that presents itself in the DC Universe version of Superman. The director of the Superman reboot movie has touched on how Superman handles the two sides of David Corenswet's character.

ScreenRant’s Rob Keyes was in attendance for a Superman set visit alongside other outlets in Cleveland, Ohio, last June, and James Gunn revealed how Superman approaches both sides of the Man of Steel. According to the director of the first movie in the DCU's Chapter One, nobody really knows Superman unless they are aware of both sides of him. Gunn comments on how Superman's parents — the Kents — and a few other people know Superman's secret identity, and that makes them truly understand him, different from the rest of the world, which only gets parts of a whole. Check out the full quote below:

"James Gunn: It's not just Clark. It's not just Superman. It's Clark/Superman. And the only people that know Clark/Superman are his mom and his dad and a few others who know who he is, and those are very different things. People said all sorts of different things. They said, “Clark's the real one.” They said, “Superman's the real one and Clark's the secret identity.” But I don't, and it says it in my script on the second page - I don't believe either of those things. I don't think anybody knows Superman unless they know both of him. And when they know both of him, they know the real guy. And that means not too many people."

The DCU's Creative Chief Truly Understands Superman

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It is easy for a Superman adaptation to sometimes lose itself in the character's immense power. Sure, the Man of Steel's action scenes are a great part of why Superman might appeal to many, but the character is so much more than just looking cool in a fight scene. The best Superman stories revolve around the Kryptonian finding his humanity, showing that despite his godly powers, Superman yearns for connection and to feel accepted on Earth. Based on his comments, James Gunn has proved that he understands how Superman's humanity is key to the character.

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There is also another interesting layer to Gunn's response. When the director commented about recognizing that someone would only truly understand the Man of Steel when they know both the Clark and Superman sides of the character, Gunn said that the number of people who truly do know him is limited. That could also hold true for David Corenswet's version of Superman, with perhaps not even the other DCU heroes present in the franchise's first movie getting to know both the Superman and Clark Kent sides of the character, while Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are more likely to know.

Clark Kent Could Not Be In Better Hands

I agree with everything James Gunn has said about Superman's identity. For an actor to get the character right, they have to nail Superman's inspiring, hopeful qualities, while also being charming as the bubbly and lovable Clark Kent. Both sides of the character are important, as Superman can only work as the symbol of hope for the world because of Clark's experiences as a regular human in his daily life. He understands people's struggles and how to help them, which makes the Superman and Clark sides of the character work in tandem, something the DCU's Superman movie will explore.

Superman arrives in theaters on July 11, 2025.

Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! Superman Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.' rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill's departure from the role, honoring the character's roots as "the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way." Release Date July 11, 2025 Franchise(s) DCU Cast David Corenswet , Rachel Brosnahan , María Gabriela De Faría , Edi Gathegi , Nicholas Hoult , Frank Grillo , Nathan Fillion Milly Alcock , Sara Sampaio , Pruitt Taylor Vince , Skyler Gisondo , Anthony Carrigan , Wendell Pierce , Beck Bennett , Sean Gunn Director James Gunn Writers James Gunn Expand

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