Comedian Bassem Youssef Says He Lost SUPERMAN: LEGACY Role Due To Palestine Remarks; James Gunn Refutes Claim

Comedian Bassem Youssef Says He Lost SUPERMAN: LEGACY Role Due To Palestine Remarks; James Gunn Refutes Claim

Comedian Bassem Youssef, described as the Jon Stewart of the Middle East, claims his political views regarding Palestine cost him a role in James Gunn's Superman: Legacy.

By MarkJulian - Feb 16, 2024 05:02 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman: Legacy
Source: Salon

 Egyptian-American comedian Bassem Youssef made headlines stateside as a new interview with Salon, contained claims from Youssef that he lost out on a role in Superman: Legacy because of his outspoken comments regarding Palestine.

Specifically, Youssef's interview with Piers Morgan back in October 2023 went viral where he was supportive of Palestine in the ongoing Gaza crisis.

Said Youssef, "In the United States of America, you can talk about Joe Biden, you can talk about Donald Trump, but you cannot criticize a foreign government which is kind of, like, very sad, you know? And then because of that, I was cast in the movie Superman, and then they told me, 'We changed the script' after this Piers Morgan interview, and I want to assume good faith."

He went on to add, "I understand maybe the people who are, you know, in charge, they took the decision, looked at me and didn't want to have me and maybe I understand. If I'm Arab Muslim, I was the head of Warner Bros., I wouldn't like a pro-zionist or pro-Isreal to be in my movie if he attacked my people. This is the thing that we need to dissect: when I attack Israel, I attack its policy, I’m not attacking Jewish people."

It didn't take long for James Gunn and other Warner Bros. sources to chime in, stating that Youssef was actually cut from the film before his viral interview.  It seems he was set to portray a minor DC Comics character named Rumaan Harjavti, but was removed due to consideration for the movie's runtime.

 Youssef's comments also raise another interesting question in regard to previous claims that a Middle Eastern conflict would play a factor in the film. James Gunn debunked that claim but it seems that there may have been some truth to that rumor and that this portion of the film was simply cut due to time constraints. 

It's also worth noting that Rumaan Harjavti is a character that appeared during Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis' Justice League International run in the late '80s. With so many members of the JLI appearing in Legacy, this seems like a pretty significant clue that it's this superhero team and not The Terrifics or the traditional Justice League, that will be appearing in Legacy.

Superman: Legacy, the James Gunn-directed (and written) film stars David Corenswet as Kal-El/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/The Engineer and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.

Additionally, Nicholas Hoult has been confirmed by Gunn to portray Lex Luthor in the film.

Currently set for release on July 11, 2025, Superman: Legacy is the first film in Gunn's reboot of the DCEU.  Filming is expected to begin this Spring.

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Itwasme
Itwasme - 2/16/2024, 5:39 PM
Looking forward to the calm and civil conversation here about a topic none of us really know about.
WruceBayne
WruceBayne - 2/16/2024, 7:07 PM
@Itwasme - THIS, is probably going to be enough to trigger somebody… shucks, what I just said is probably enough to trigger somebody in here.
Itwasme
Itwasme - 2/16/2024, 7:14 PM
@WruceBayne - F U buddy!!!!


Jk...
lvcl
lvcl - 2/16/2024, 10:06 PM
Now go to Palestine and ask for a job there.



A piece of advice: Never shit in your house.
CoHost
CoHost - 2/17/2024, 3:59 AM
@Itwasme - Speak for yourself. I've researched this topic for 15 years now.
supermanrex
supermanrex - 2/16/2024, 5:42 PM
he was never offered the role. they wrote the character out of the script last fall or summer.
braunermegda
braunermegda - 2/16/2024, 6:35 PM
@supermanrex - so you're saying the writer and director of the movie is wrong?
WakandaTech
WakandaTech - 2/16/2024, 5:46 PM
Basically

I'm a victim where is my privilege
jst5
jst5 - 2/16/2024, 6:14 PM
@WakandaTech - Pretty much...
BeNice123
BeNice123 - 2/16/2024, 5:47 PM
Keep this kind of Nonsense off this website Mark!
Ginley
Ginley - 2/16/2024, 7:23 PM
@BeNice123 -

Gunn's lies, you mean?

Sure, it would be nice if he went through a single day and didn't lie his ass off on social media.
Repian
Repian - 2/16/2024, 5:49 PM
The conflict between Israel and Palestine is the cause. Not you, you egocentric nutcase.
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 2/16/2024, 5:50 PM
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 2/16/2024, 5:55 PM
@harryba11zack - I trid to read the the article for once, I saw the word "Egyptian" mentioned in the first paragraph and my mind kindy went blank
Origame
Origame - 2/16/2024, 6:01 PM
@harryba11zack - let's face it, 99% of the time you would've been right on the money.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 2/16/2024, 6:02 PM
@harryba11zack - I keep forgetting she's also one of the superheroes running around in the MCU now. Do I hope we get to see her again though
Matchesz
Matchesz - 2/16/2024, 6:31 PM
@bkmeijer1 - the MSheU, where you got one major threat villain every other year, a handful of nonserious comedy style villains, a couple of minor villains, and 200 superheroes.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 2/17/2024, 3:33 AM
@Matchesz - that it's the MSheU is something I don't mind, because I don't know about you but I like women.

They should stop with the bad villains though.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 2/16/2024, 5:51 PM
And here…we….go

Gunn hired Alcock who is pro-Palestine so I don’t think he would’ve dumped this guy over that. Also, scripts change often.
EgoEgor
EgoEgor - 2/16/2024, 8:45 PM
@GhostDog - to be fair, Hassem has been far more visible in his advocacy. Nobody would know Milly was pro-palestine, I sure as hell didn't. Hassem has been doing countless interviews harshly criticizing Israel and advocating for the Palestinians, it's not comparable. I can understand why someone who is a staunch supporter of Israel might be upset at Hassem while being OK with Milly. I'm not saying that is the case, even Hassem says he takes their word on good faith(though let's be honest, studios lie often), so it might very well be that there was a script change; hell, it could be both, we don't know.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 2/16/2024, 8:49 PM
@EgoEgor - good points made. He’s definitely way more chest out about his stances
Superheromoviefan
Superheromoviefan - 2/16/2024, 5:54 PM
that guy is a moron
Godzilla2000Zer
Godzilla2000Zer - 2/16/2024, 5:59 PM
Never even heard of you my guy stfu
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 2/16/2024, 7:27 PM
@Godzilla2000Zer - he’s pretty much the Egyptian Equivalent of Jon Stewart

?si=GF2h833qK6kKryJv
Godzilla2000Zer
Godzilla2000Zer - 2/16/2024, 7:29 PM
@TheVisionary25 - I see
MarkJulian
MarkJulian - 2/16/2024, 6:04 PM
As I mentioned in the article, it puts Gunn’s debunk of a Middle Eastern conflict into question. And all but confirms the JLI.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 2/16/2024, 6:51 PM
@MarkJulian - yea it’s definitely going to involve the Middle East
AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 2/16/2024, 7:39 PM
@MarkJulian -


So Gunn lied again💁
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