James Gunn Explains Why Supergirl’s Secret Cameo Was Crucial For Superman; ScreenRant, July 19, 2025

Andy Behbakht

 , ScreenRant; James Gunn Explains Why Supergirl’s Secret Cameo Was Crucial For Superman

WARNING: This article includes SPOILERS from Superman.

"In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gunn shared more about Alcock's Supergirl cameo and how it was used as a way to give the DCU audience an introduction to the Girl of Steel. Gunn stressed that it was important to have Supergirl at the end, as he shared the following:

James Gunn: But for me, the main reason for Kara showing up is to show that Superman not only risked his life to go save a dog that was his dog, that so many of us would do, he was watching the dog for somebody else. The dog's a pain in his ass. He didn't want to take that dog. She's off being irresponsible. He doesn't want to have to watch a dog. He's having to save the world every two seconds. And even still, he goes to the ends of the earth for that dog.

To me, that's one of the most touching things in the movie. Earlier, when Lois says, "It's just a dog," and he says, "Yeah, not even a very good one, but it's probably scared," it just shows you the depths of his empathy. I find that so touching. Then, when you find out at the end, it's not even his dog; she just left it with him."

Superman's James Gunn unpacks the 'Superwoke' discourse, Ultraman reveal, and Justice League plans; Entertainment Weekly, July 18, 2025

Nick Romano

Nick Romano

Nick is an entertainment journalist based in New York, NY. If you like pugs and the occasional blurry photo of an action figure, follow him on Twitter @NickARomano.

EW'S EDITORIAL GUIDELINES

, Entertainment Weekly; Superman's James Gunn unpacks the 'Superwoke' discourse, Ultraman reveal, and Justice League plans

 "This leads me to another point...I found myself laughing a lot about the Fox News and the ultra-right coming out to label Superman as "Superwoke." It was not lost on me that scene where Lois is interviewing Superman. The phrase "Superwoke" sounds exactly like the in-world critics of Superman. I was curious what you made of that.

I've heard people say it was woke, and then I've heard a lot of people say it's not. I am curious as to what in the movie is considered woke. I think people took something I said...The guy for the London newspaper [Jonathan Dean of The Times]. Originally, he said that [Superman comic creators] Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster were the sons of immigrants, and they wrote Superman as an immigrant story. And I said, yeah, it's a story about an immigrant, but mostly it's a story to me about kindness, which it is. That's the center of the movie for me.

That's the thing we can all act upon, is kindness. And so what does that lead to? Well, does that lead to the way you vote? Sure. Does that lead to everything? Yeah. Does it lead to how many people are dying from road rage? Yes. All those things are affected if people just start to value kindness. I mean, people did value kindness in the past. That was an American value, was kindness, and it doesn't necessarily seem to be that way to me anymore. So that was always the center of the movie for me, and it wasn't about anything other than that."

Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin says "Supes and I are old friends" as he praises James Gunn's DC movie: "This new Superman reminds me of the version I used to read about"; Games Radar, July 26, 2025

Molly Edwards , Games Radar; Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin says "Supes and I are old friends" as he praises James Gunn's DC movie: "This new Superman reminds me of the version I used to read about"

"Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin has shared his verdict on James Gunn's Superman – and it's very positive.

"Supes and I are old friends, and this is one of the best Superman movies in a long time… maybe ever," Martin shared on his Not a Blog page. "This new Superman reminds me of the version I used to read about when I was a kid, the strange visitor from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men. (And yes, an innocent, of course, he's always been an immigrant. And an illegal immigrant, when you stop to think of it)."

James Gunn Says ‘Superman’ Is An “Immigrant” Story About “Basic Human Kindness”; Deadline, July 6, 2025

Natalie Oganesyan , Deadline; James Gunn Says ‘Superman’ Is An “Immigrant” Story About “Basic Human Kindness”

"Long established as an allegory for the immigrant experience, especially when viewed through the personal histories of Superman‘s comic book co-creators — second-generation Jewish immigrants Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster — DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn said his forthcoming film entry of Kal-El keeps in tune with the original 1938-created vision.

“I mean, Superman is the story of America,” the Superman helmer told The Times U.K. in a new profile. “An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”"