Dean Cain Warns Immigrant Theme May Hurt ‘Superman’ Debut
Time to cut to the chase: Dean Cain believes the upcoming Superman reboot shot itself in the foot before the first frame even debuts. The former Lois & Clark star, known for his award-winning journalism chops, sees James Gunn’s recent remarks on the Man of Steel as an “avoidable political mistake” that threatens to overshadow the film’s blockbuster potential.
In a July 6 sit-down with The Sunday Times, Gunn stirred the pot by describing his new Superman as an “immigrant” who lives by “basic human kindness,” lamenting that America has drifted from those ideals. The timing is sensitive: these remarks arrived as ICE ramped up high-profile deportation efforts under the Trump administration, fueling a culture war on immigration. Those comments didn’t land quietly; conservative outlets pounced, labeling the flick as overtly “woke” and a likely sermon in red tights.
Fox News personalities lit up the airwaves in response. Kellyanne Conway snapped, “We don’t go to the movie theater to be lectured to,” while Jesse Watters quipped that Superman’s cape might as well have “MS-13” stitched across it. The network’s prime-time hosts turned Gunn’s off-hand comment into a rallying cry, amplifying the chatter around a film that won’t hit screens until later this year.
Cain, who donned the red cape in the late-’90s hit series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, told TMZ he felt “so fired up” for the big-screen revival—until Gunn introduced what the actor calls “political Kryptonite.” Cain warns that making Superman a political symbol could cost the studio precious opening-weekend dollars, yet he still roots for the movie to soar.
Insiders at DC, speaking to TMZ under embargo, admit they’re baffled by the fallout. After all, Superman debuted in 1938 as an alien refugee fleeing planetary destruction—his immigrant status is baked into the character’s DNA. “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” was coined just before World War II for a reason, they argue. To them, Gunn’s explanation was redundant and risked framing a beloved icon as a podium for activism.
Cain stresses that not every franchise entry needs a thesis. “Sometimes we just want to escape, enjoy the spectacle,” he told TMZ. With fan expectations sky-high and political temperatures hotter than ever, the actor hopes audiences don’t let a headline determine their verdict. And there you have it: a classic case of politics in pop culture. Make of that what you will—and keep an eye on opening weekend to see if Superman’s message lands as intended.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, The Sunday Times, Fox News
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
