James Gunn explains Marvel star’s surprise Superman cameo
James Gunn reveals why he cast ‘friend’ Bradley Cooper in Superman
- James Gunn cast Bradley Cooper as Superman's father, Jor-El, in the new film, stating he needed an actor with the character's "stature" who was not too old.
- Gunn explained that he sought someone who could follow in the footsteps of Marlon Brando, who played Jor-El in the 1978 film, and noted Cooper, “a friend”, did it as a favour.
- The new Superman film features David Corenswet as the titular hero, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as the villainous Lex Luthor.
- The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey gave the film a four-star review, suggesting it would "make you believe in superhero movies again."
- The film achieved a global opening weekend total of $217m, surpassing initial projections and becoming the second biggest domestic earner of 2025 on its opening day.