WARNING: This article includes MAJOR SPOILERS from theSupermanmovie.James Gunn explains one of the bigDC Universecasting cameos in hisSupermanmovie. One of the biggest cameos in theSupermanmovie was the DCU debut of Jor-El, played by one of Gunn’s longest collaborators from theGuardians of the Galaxytrilogy, after the director’s time with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While brief, Bradley Cooper appeared as Kal-El’s biological father, as he and Lara can be seen through the message that they sent with the Man of Steel when Krypton was destroyed. Despite speaking in Kryptonese, Cooper’s Jor-El cameos were one of the more discussed aspects of theSupermancameos.
In a new interview withDeadline, Gunn addressed how he wanted to handle Jor-El for hisSupermanmovie, addressing how age played a factor for the big superhero installment. Gunn explained he wanted the DCU to have a Jor-El that “wasn’t too old”, as well as wanting the character to be played by someone who would bring a similar energy to Marlon Brando:
Well, Bradley’s a friend of mine, and I needed somebody who could play Jor-El — and I don’t think this is a spoiler, everybody knows about this — who had the stature of what we imagine that character being, somebody who could walk in the footsteps of Marlon Brando. A lot of times, Jor-El is played by a 70-year-old man and that means he was 70 when he had a baby, so I wanted somebody that wasn’t too old. Everyone was bringing up all these actors that were too old for me. I think Bradley was perfect, he did it for me as a favor because he’s my friend, and I really appreciated him doing it.
What James Gunn’s Comments Mean For The Superman Cameo
While there have been numerous takes on Jor-El in pastSupermanmovies and TV shows, Gunn’s comments make sense in that, most of the time, they tend to portray Clark’s Kryptonian father as older. Many Superman adaptations also have Jor-El appear more throughout their respective stories, meaning Gunn’sSupermanmovie once again takes a different approach here.
Casting someone who’s known as a prominent movie superhero - namely the MCU’s Rocket Raccoon - alsomakes sense in terms of ensuring the plot twist about why Jor-El and Lara sent Superman to Earth was as potent as possible. It also leaves the door open for Jor-El to potentially even return in some capacity, since Cooper and Gunn are long-time movie collaborators.
Our Take On James Gunn’s Jor-El Comments
Gunn’s comments about casting Cooper both make sense,and also set up a very unique role for Jor-El in the DCU franchise,who could prove interesting once more if they end up bringing him back somehow. Even though none oftheSupermanmovie post-credits scenesleft with any teases for Jor-El and Lara, the DCU is just getting started.
WithSuperman’semerging success, future installments could lean into the House of El twist with why they sent Kal-El to Earth, and with someone as big as Cooper now playing Jor-El, seeing him actually get to act alongside Corenswet’s DC hero would be interesting. But until a sequel is greenlit, fans can catchSupermanin theaters and relive Gunn’s take on the DC legend once again.
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Superman (2025): Superman follows the dual life of Clark Kent, a journalist in Metropolis, as he endeavors to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Set against a backdrop of personal discovery, the film explores his journey of identity as he navigates his existence in a complex world.
