James Gunn reveals why he cast ‘friend’ Bradley Cooper in Superman

EntertainmentMovie
14 Jul 2025 • 6:13 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • 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.

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