Movies

James Gunn Says ‘Anti-American’ Sentiment Hurt ‘Superman’

BBG News

James Gunn suggests that the reason Superman might not be doing well at international box offices could be due to a politically motivated dislike of America overseas.

As a cinema enthusiast penning down my thoughts, I can’t help but notice how global sentiments seem to have influenced the box office success of the latest DC Universe (DCU) film. In an exclusive conversation with Rolling Stone, the visionary filmmaker and co-CEO of DC Studios expressed his conviction that these days, international audiences might be less receptive towards American productions – a factor that could potentially explain the underperformance of our beloved DCU movies abroad.

In certain regions, Superman isn’t as widely recognized or popular as characters like Batman. This lack of familiarity can impact various aspects, and it doesn’t help matters that there’s currently a fair amount of anti-American sentiment worldwide.

In terms of the movie’s global earnings, the director described it as “a process of allowing growth to occur naturally.

As a dedicated cinephile, I’m thrilled to share that our performance domestically has been quite impressive, but it’s also true that we’re making significant strides internationally. Interestingly, we’ve been seeing fantastic weekday numbers overseas, mirroring the trends here at home. This suggests that word of mouth about our movie is positively resonating in every corner, from the U.K. to Brazil and beyond.

Once more, it’s all a complete success for us. The release of the movie and its global acceptance – this is the germination of the tree that Peter [Safran] and I have nurtured for three years. To see it kick off so favorably has been incredibly overwhelming, he concluded.

Is Superman ‘Superwoke’? James Gunn Weighs in on the Social Discourse

Prior to the July 11 release of Superman, director James Gunn caused a stir online and sparked unexpected controversy when he shared his thoughts with The Times U.K.. He stated that Superman embodies “the story of America,” being about “an immigrant who originated from elsewhere and populated the nation.” However, for him, it primarily serves as a narrative emphasizing “the importance of basic human kindness” and lamenting its apparent decline in our society.

As a movie enthusiast, I found myself scratching my head after Fox News and other conservative media outlets branded the film “Superwoke.” Frankly, I’m puzzled as to what aspects of this production could possibly warrant such a label.

Gunn told Entertainment Weekly:

It seems that opinions vary on whether the movie is “woke” or not. I’m interested to know exactly what aspects of the film are being labeled as such. It appears that some people may have misunderstood my interpretation of certain elements within the movie.

The essential action we can all take is showing kindness. This act, in turn, influences various aspects of life – such as voting choices, societal norms, and even road safety behaviors. If people begin to prioritize kindness once more, many issues like road rage-related deaths could be alleviated. While kindness was historically valued in America, I feel it’s not as prominent nowadays. Throughout the film, the focus was solely on promoting kindness and nothing else.

Top 10 Biggest Superhero Opening Weekends

10. Black Panther: Wakanda Forver

On November 11, 2022, the movie “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was launched – a follow-up to the 2018 hit Black Panther. In its first weekend in U.S. cinemas, it earned an impressive $181 million. The film’s total global earnings reached over $859 million by the end of its run.

9. Incredibles 2

The movie titled “Incredibles 2,” which is the sequel to Disney-Pixar’s 2004 animation “The Incredibles,” hit theaters on June 15, 2018. In its opening weekend alone, it earned $182 million in North America, and during its entire theater run, it grossed over $1.2 billion globally.

8. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

On May 6, 2022, the film “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” was launched and earned $187 million during its debut weekend. The follow-up to the 2016 movie “Doctor Strange,” it eventually accumulated a total of $677 million at box offices worldwide.

7. Avengers: Age of Ultron

In cinemas on May 1, 2015, the second Avengers movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, titled “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” opened and earned a whopping $191 million during its debut weekend. By the end of its time in theatres, this film managed to generate an impressive $1.4 billion globally.

6. Black Panther

On February 16, 2018, “Black Panther” was launched in cinemas and earned an impressive $202 million during its opening weekend. In the end, this movie raked in a staggering $1.3 billion worldwide, surpassing its production budget of $200 million.

5. The Avengers

In cinemas on May 4, 2012, the blockbuster hit “The Avengers” raked in a staggering $207 million during its opening weekend. Eventually, it amassed an impressive total global box office revenue of $1.5 billion, positioning it as the fourth highest-grossing Marvel Cinematic Universe film at the time of publication.

4. Deadpool & Wolverine

On July 26, 2024, the highly anticipated collaboration between Deadpool and Wolverine was finally unveiled. In its opening weekend alone, it raked in a staggering $211 million. Ultimately, this movie garnered an impressive $1.3 billion at box offices worldwide.

3. Avengers: Infinity War

On April 27, 2018, the film “Avengers: Infinity War” premiered in cinemas. It generated an impressive $257 million during its debut weekend and ultimately collected a worldwide total of $2 billion, placing it as the second highest-grossing movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

2. Spider-Man: No Way Home

On December 17, 2021, the film “Spider-Man: No Way Home” opened and raked in a whopping $260 million during its premiere weekend. This box office hit eventually earned an impressive $1.9 billion globally, positioning it as the third highest-grossing movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

1. Avengers: Endgame

The blockbuster movie “Avengers: Endgame,” initially released on April 26, 2019, generated a staggering $357 million in its debut weekend. With a grand total of $2.7 billion earned at the worldwide box office, it currently ranks as the second highest-grossing film, trailing only “Avatar” with $2.9 billion in earnings.

Read More

2025-07-22 16:25

Previous post 🥞 PancakeSwap Infinity Flips Base into a Billion-Dollar Pancake Party! 🤑
Next post StarCraft 2 returns to the Esports World Cup with some huge names in the mix