In Superman, we learn that the Man of Tomorrow finds comfort in the Fortress of Solitude thanks to a message from his parents, recorded on Krypton shortly before he was sent to Earth as a baby.
Jor-El and Lara tell their son how much they love him and that he's been sent there to do good. However, when Lex Luthor decodes the corrupted half of the message, it's revealed that Jor-El and Lara also intended for Kal-El to take countless wives and have as many babies as possible, all so Krypton could live on. Oh, and if need be, he was to conquer the planet.
The world turns on Superman, though he eventually wins back their trust by proving he's there to do good (The Daily Planet, meanwhile, exposes Lex's nefarious nature).
In the movie's closing moments, it's revealed that the hero has replaced the recording of his Kryptonian parents with footage from his childhood of Ma and Pa Kent. It's a touching note to wrap up on, and one that shows Supes embracing his humanity.
During a recent interview, filmmaker James Gunn addressed the divisive reveal that Jor-El wanted his son to subjugate the planet and its people.
"I'm a huge Superman fan, so first of all I had to trust myself that I was going to honor the pieces of Superman that we needed to keep the same," Gunn explained. "And also allow myself to make changes where changes might work and wouldn't go against the integrity of who the character is."
"And so I think that was [...] simply dealing with allowing ourselves to change part of the story in a way that was interesting for the DCU, but that wasn't [something] that went against who Superman was," the filmmaker continued. "And has been something that's been played with in the comics before."
It's not clear whether Gunn has plans to explore this twist further, but as we've previously noted, a clash between Superman and his father runs the risk of feeling like a Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 redo (where Star-Lord fought his father, Ego).
Comparisons have been made to Brightburn and Invincible, though Gunn is right that there's precedent in the comics for Jor-El to be portrayed in a less heroic light. The filmmaker also recently discussed why he cast Bradley Cooper in the role.
You can hear more from Gunn on Superman's big twist below.
Superman, DC Studios' first feature film to hit the big screen, is set to soar into theaters worldwide this summer from Warner Bros. Pictures.
In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.
"Superman is an indescribable joy," we said in our review. "A beautiful, moving thrill, David Corenswet is the perfect Man of Steel in a movie packed full of ideas. Fortunately, under James Gunn’s expert direction, all of those work, creating a rousing experience that flies higher than DC has in a very long time."
The movie stars David Corenswet in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Also appearing are Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Neva Howell, and Milly Alcock.
Superman is now playing in theaters.