Phil Roberts 
Superman director James Gunn has revealed that George Lucas’ Star Wars inspired his opening to his DC Blockbuster.
With Superman fever now gripping the world, director James Gunn is enjoying some much-needed downtime. After a grueling press tour that took him from Brazil to the UK, and from Los Angeles to Paris, the DC head honcho has earned a much-needed rest. However, with the film now basking in the limelight of its success, Gunn stopped by the Happy Sad Confused Podcast to chat with Josh Horowitz about the film and the future of the newly minted DC Universe.
The one-hour interview was candid and covered a wide range of intriguing aspects of the production. It discussed David Corenswet’s performance, the inspiration behind Krypto, and even mentioned some upcoming projects. However, the most fascinating revelation was the inspiration behind Superman‘s opening crawl. It turns out that James Gunn drew inspiration from his childhood and found the perfect solution in George Lucas’ Star Wars movies.
STAR WARS INSPIRATIONS
Josh Horowitz: When did the opening crawl enter the picture?
James Gunn: Much later. That was a BAFTA test screening. Okay, so there was a version that didn’t have anything. There were versions without it. People loved the movie, but they found themselves confused going into this other universe. Right? And I thought, Star Wars. If you think about it, what if we just went with Luke and there was never any (background context), you know, it would be hard to figure out what was going on. And so I thought of that crawl, and I thought, wow, not only did the crawl help the story, but I loved the crawl as a kid. I thought it was cool. So adding (the crawl), you know, I think it really helps to set up the fact that this is an alternate history. This is an alternate reality. Yes. This is not our world. You know, it’s one of the things I loved about DC Comics is that it isn’t set in New York or Los Angeles. It’s Gotham, Metropolis, Evergreen, and Star City. And we’re creating an alternate reality. And so in that way, it is a lot more like Game of Thrones or Star Wars.
Josh Horrowitz: Ever consider a narrator to do that opening crawl, or is that always just text on screen?
James Gunn: No, because I think the quiet of the quiet of the, you know, ice planes is too important.
REVIEW
It’s wonderful to hear a director as passionate as James Gunn reflecting on his childhood and finding inspiration in a beloved franchise adored by many fans. The Star Wars opening crawl is iconic, and seeing it used to bring the new DC Universe to life is the ultimate fanboy Easter egg. But did the nod to George Lucas help win over the critics? It certainly did for me.
Despite some initial issues that led me to give the film a three-star review, my second viewing resolved those concerns. In the days that followed, I re-evaluated the film and awarded it an additional star. Therefore, James Gunn’s Superman is now officially one of my top-rated films of the year.
In my review, I said: “James Gunn’s Superman is a blast. Although the film is marred by a chaotic, overstuffed plot, some eye-rollingly bad gimmicks, and occasionally ropey CGI, it delivers a bonanza of DC awesomeness. The film is ambitious, bold, and unapologetic. David Corenswet is impressive as the Man of Steel, but isn’t afforded the time needed to reach his full potential. Rachel Brosnahan sparkles and delivers an excellent performance as Lois Lane. And finally, Nicholas Hoult delivers an energetic but confusing performance as the new Lex Luthor.” Read my full review here.
RELEASE
James Gunn’s impressive cast for the film features David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Nicholas Hoult will take on the role of Lex Luthor. They will be joined by Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific. Also joining them are Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.
The film has officially grossed $400 million at the worldwide box office, and it truly deserves this success. The Man of Steel is back where he belongs, soaring high at the top of the box office. But fans can rest knowing that the events of the galaxy far, far away gave Superman a helping hand.
James Gunn’s Superman is swooping into cinemas everywhere now. Did you enjoy the film? Let us know in the comments below.
Meet Phil Roberts! He’s the dedicated owner, daily content manager, and editor-in-chief of The Future of the Force. Phil is a budding novelist who turned his passion toward writing about the franchises he loves back in 2016. He’s a huge fan of all things Star Wars, Batman, DC, Marvel, Star Trek, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, King Kong, and the Ray Harryhausen movies. Phil is a BFI-accredited journalist and a distinguished member of the Film Critics Association UK.
If he’s not catching a movie at the cinema, you can bet he’s streaming something just as awesome!
