James Gunn Names Bollywood and Eastern Cinema as the Driving Inspiration Behind His New ‘Superman’

James Gunn, the director and writer of the new Superman movie, recently shared in an interview with HT City how Bollywood and Eastern cinema influenced his work on the film.

When asked about the rise of superheroes in India and whether he might include Indian mythology or cinema in future projects, Gunn spoke openly about his admiration for Indian fans and the impact of Indian films on his storytelling style.

“Well first of all I am incredibly grateful for Indian fans and I talk to you guys all the time online and there’s so many of you obviously and there’s so many fans of Superman who love Superman and he means so much to them and that wasn’t lost to me when I was making this movie, how much he means to people of India,” Gunn said.

He explained that Superman is a character who cares for everyone and brings people together. “Every life is sacred and he’s somebody who brings us together and makes us more alike than different in every way.”

Gunn described how he treats Superman as a real person rather than just a symbol. He said the movie breaks down Superman’s mythology and iconic image to explore who he really is. The story includes a big battle but focuses more on Superman’s personal journey, especially his relationships with Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, and himself.

The interview also touched on the idea of an Indian actor appearing in the DC Universe. Gunn showed excitement about bringing in heroes and storytellers from around the world. “We at DC Studios think that there are heroes all over this world that we can focus on and filmmakers all over the world that could tell their stories within the DCU. Who’s our Indian superhero, and who are Indian filmmakers that want to be a part of this Universe? That’s important to us,” he said.

Gunn said Bollywood and Eastern cinema play a big role in his creative process. “Bollywood films and Eastern cinema in general are the most important thing to me when I’m telling stories. The thing that those films give to me is that they aren’t afraid of having a movie that has heart, that has drama, but that’s also funny, has music, all of those things are beautiful, and that is what life is, right? Life is all of those things. Life isn’t one genre, and that’s really where I take my inspiration for Superman—from Bollywood movies.”

The new Superman film stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman and includes actors like Rachel Brosnahan and Nicholas Hoult. It tells the story of Superman balancing his alien roots with his human family and takes ideas from famous comic books like All-Star Superman by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely.

Gunn became co-CEO of DC Studios in late 2022 and started working on this Superman project soon after. The film is part of DC’s new chapter called Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. It focuses on a younger Superman, his job as a reporter, and his relationships with familiar characters like Lois Lane.

Most of the filming happened in Atlanta, Georgia, with some scenes shot in Norway and Ohio. The movie is set to come out on July 11, 2025, which is a meaningful date for Gunn because it is his late father’s birthday.

Overall, James Gunn’s take on Superman is shaped by his respect for Indian audiences and his love of Bollywood-style storytelling. He hopes the movie will have heart, humor, and drama and looks forward to featuring more diverse heroes and voices in the DC Universe.

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