Superman has been hailed as a movie that delivers a pitch-perfect take on the Man of Tomorrow, but there's one element that's proven to be particularly divisive.
As we're sure you've already guessed, we're talking about the revelation that Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van sent their son, Kal-El, to Earth to conquer the planet and impregnate as many women as possible to ensure Krypton would live on. Think of it as a "super-harem."
Filmmaker James Gunn has been resolute that the message decoded by Lex Luthor was real. However, with Superman now available on Digital, fans have spotted an Easter Egg suggesting he might have a retcon in mind.
In a news report covering Maxwell Lord's remarks about Luthor, a banner can be seen at the bottom of the screen that reads, "Daily Planet Shows Luthor Was Behind The False Images Of Superman's Parents' Message Claiming That..."
It could be that Clark Kent or Lois Lane pretended it was fake to save Superman's reputation, but if so, that doesn't seem like very honest journalism. It's also something we find hard to imagine either character doing on the page.
Still, it allows Gunn to move on from the idea and not have it continue to plague the Kryptonian during future adventures.
Previously, he said that fans hoping it's not real are "sh*t out of luck," adding, "That’s the whole point of the movie, that Superman thinks he is doing something because it is his destiny and his Kryptonian parents have set him out to do this thing."
"Along the way he discovers through the love of the people who are actually his parents that he’s doing these things not because of someone else, but because of himself. It’s like taking accountability in the deepest way possible that his morality is not based on some figure outside of himself, but on his own choices. I think it’s really beautiful in that way, and I’m not gonna change that."
"And I don’t really even think of Jor-El and Lara as being totally evil," Gunn continued. "They just have this mindset that humans are less than what they are. We’re sea turtles to them. They’re just trying to keep the Kryptonian genes alive."
You can take a closer look at this Easter Egg/retcon from Superman in the X post below, along with the first 10 minutes of the film.
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 and available on Digital platforms.