Dean Cain, the actor beloved by many Christians for his role in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, is speaking out against the new James Gunn Superman film, questioning how “woke” Hollywood plans to make the iconic character.
“How woke is Hollywood going to make this character?” Cain, 58, asked during a candid interview with TMZ, published Wednesday. “Why are they going to change these characters to exist for the times?”
His comments came in response to recent remarks by Gunn, 58, who described Superman as “the story of America,” calling the character an “immigrant” and emphasizing that the film would highlight “basic human kindness as a value.”
Cain, who played the Man of Steel for four seasons in the 1990s, resisted Gunn’s framing of Superman as primarily an immigrant narrative, warning that leaning into politics could hurt the film’s reception.
“I think bringing Superman into it… I think that was a mistake by James Gunn to say it’s an immigrant thing,” Cain said. “I’m rooting for it to be a success, but I don’t like that last political comment.”
Cain added that while Superman’s classic motto, “truth, justice, and the American way,” is immigrant-friendly, there must be boundaries.
“You can’t come in saying, ‘I want to get rid of all the rules in America, because I want it to be more like Somalia.’ Well, that doesn’t work, because you had to leave Somalia to come here,” he explained. “There have to be limits, because we can’t have everybody in the United States.”
Gunn, for his part, acknowledged that the movie would not please everyone, telling The Sunday Times that some might take offense simply because the film focuses on kindness. “There will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive… But screw them,” he said.
Conservative media voices quickly echoed Cain’s concerns, with Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld jokingly dubbing the film “Superwoke” and Jesse Watters quipping that “MS-13” would be written on Superman’s cape. Meanwhile, critics like The Post’s Johnny Oleksinski praised the film, calling it a rare superhero movie that leaves viewers with “chills.”
On the red carpet in Los Angeles, Gunn’s cast defended the director’s stance, with Sean Gunn stating, “Yes, Superman is an immigrant, and the people that we support in this country are immigrants. If you don’t like that, you’re not American.”
Amid the current cultural debate, Cain’s perspective stands out. He has long been outspoken about his faith and conservative values within the entertainment industry. Known for his role as Superman, the actor often reminds audiences that the character has historically represented timeless virtues rather than shifting political ideologies.
Cain’s remarks come just months after reflecting on his time filming Lois & Clark alongside Teri Hatcher, who played Lois Lane. Despite acknowledging that working together sometimes had challenges, Cain praised Hatcher, calling her “the best Lois Lane of all time.”
As debates around superhero movies continue, Cain’s comments highlight a broader tension in Hollywood between storytelling, politics, and the enduring values these characters represent to millions of fans, including many in the Christian community. For Cain, the hope remains that Superman will continue to stand for truth, justice, and the American way, without being overshadowed by Hollywood’s shifting trends.