James Gunn Responds to ‘Woke’ Backlash Over Superman and Its Global Box Office Performance

James Gunn expressed confusion over the conservative backlash to his Superman film, which was labeled ‘SuperWoke’ by right-wing media outlets like Fox News. The controversy was sparked by comments Gunn made regarding Superman’s immigrant origins, linking it to the broader theme of kindness. Gunn clarified that the central message of the movie is about kindness, which he believes was once an American value but is no longer prioritized in today’s society. Despite criticism from figures like Dean Cain and some conservative outlets, the film has performed well at the domestic box office, grossing $235 million after its first two weekends. Internationally, however, its performance has been slower, accumulating $171 million. Gunn acknowledged that anti-American sentiment in some regions may be affecting the film’s global reception, though he remains optimistic, pointing out that Superman is not as well-known in some countries. Gunn also highlighted that word-of-mouth is positive, particularly in countries like Brazil and the UK. Despite the challenges, he considers the film’s early success to be a win, emphasizing that this is just the beginning for the broader vision he and his team have been working on for the past three years.