Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for SupermanJames Gunn has brought back several veteran actors for the firstDCUmovie,Superman, with whom he has collaborated before. This is pretty par for the course for theprolific superhero movie director, whose movies and shows are often filled with familiar faces. It is a habit he shares with many other directors, like Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, and Quentin Tarantino.
Thankfully,James Gunn’s favored collaboratorsare a talented group. Their continued involvement in Gunn’s projects also signifies a positive working relationship, which undoubtedly contributes to the overall quality of James Gunn’s projects. With all of itspositive reviews,Supermanis no exception.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Tromeo and Juliet (1996)
Sammy Capulet
Despite the DCU being in its infancy,Sean Gunn has already portrayed three characters in the cinematic franchise. This is thanks to his dual role inCreature Commandos, where he voices GI Robot and Weasel. He additionally portrayed a live-action Weasel in James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squad.
He appears as Maxwell Lord in a brief scene towards the end of Superman, where he is seen in a news report declaring that Lex Luthor “sucks.”
Sean Gunn boasts more roles than most in James Gunn’s cinematic back catalog, which is possibly thanks to the two being brothers. Nevertheless, Gunn has repeatedly proved his talents. He appears as Maxwell Lord in a brief scene towardsthe end ofSuperman, where he is seen in a news report declaring that Lex Luthor “sucks.”
PG Porn (2008)
Bob
Alan Tudyk is a prominent voice actor known for portraying K-2S0 inRogue OneandAndorand Sonny ini-Robot.He hasn’t starred in many James Gunn projects, withJames Gunn’s PG Porn(as Bob) being their only collaborationbefore Tudyk entered the DCU. Tudyk voices multiplecharacters inCreature Commandos, though it is unclear if he’ll reprise any of these roles in live-action.
Creature Commandos is animated, but is canon in the wider DCU’s narrative.
He also lends his voice to the most prominent Superman Robot inSuperman, namely, Robot #4, who is later dubbed Gary.Gary boasts the most speaking lines of all the Superman robotsand returns to his duties after Lex Luthor’s assault on the Fortress of Solitude, meaning Tudyk could reprise the rolein aSupermansequel.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 1 (2014)
Slither (2006)
Grant Grant
Michael Rooker is one of James Gunn’s most frequent collaborators.His roles in James Gunn projects are habitually short-lived, with his most recent three superhero project roles, Yondu, Savant, and Sam, all meeting violent ends inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,The Suicide Squad, andCreature Commandos.
Rooker has continued this trend inSuperman, where he is one of many voices for the Superman Robots.Rooker voices Robot #1 and presumably meets his end at the hands (or, more accurately, buzz saws) of Engineeras she raids Superman’s Fortress of Solitude with Lex Luthor. Gunn may yet have a more significant future DCU role in mind for Rooker.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 (2023)
Mantis
Pom Klementieff made a splash as Mantis in the MCU, working with James Gunn specifically ontheGuardians of the Galaxyfranchiseafter debuting inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Since then, Klementieff’s biggest role has been inMission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part OneandMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning.
Klementieff lends her voice to another Superman Robot, namely Robot #4, who is one of the four robots that attend to the titular hero in the opening scene ofSuperman. Given Klementieff’s popularity since starring in the MCU, it is likely that she will receive a larger role ina future DCU installment, though no role has yet been confirmed.
Bradley Cooper does not star in as many James Gunn movies as many other actors inSuperman, withhis role as Rocket Raccoon in the MCU’sGuardians of the Galaxyfranchise being the only one. Nevertheless, Rocket Raccoon played such a central role in the MCU that he would have worked closely with Gunn throughout that time.
Although it is much smaller, Bradley Cooper plays a similarlypivotal role inSuperman. He debuts as Superman’s biological father, Jor-El, in a recorded message that instructs Superman to take over Earth. Given Bradley Cooper’s star power,it is possible that he will reprise his role as Jor-El in a future DCU installment.
Benny Que
Stephen Blackehart worked with James Gunn in his earliest movie,Tromeo and Juliet, for which the renowned director wrote the screenplay.Blackehart starred in various minor roles in Gunn’sGuardians of the Galaxyfranchiseand as the minor character Briscoe inThe Suicide Squad, though these movies are among the biggest he has starred in.
Blackehart’s role is more significant inSuperman, wherehe portrays a frantic scientist working for Lex Luthor, Sydney Happersen. Happersen is the mustachioed team member who expresses doubts about Lex Luthor’s destructive plans, panicking over the rift tearing the world asunder. Given Happersen survived the ordeal, it is possible he could reprise this role in aSupermansequel.
Sparky & Mikaela (2008)
Mikaela
Mikaela Hoover worked with James Gunn soon into her Hollywood career, landing the titular role in 2008’sSparky & Mikaela.Her biggest role in James Gunn’s superhero movies is arguably Floor, Rocket Raccoon’s rabbit friend, inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, who met a gruesome end in one of themost tear-jerking moments in the entire MCU.
In the DCU,Mikaela Hoover portrays Daily Planet journalist, Cat Grant, who joins Lois Lane and other colleagues in Mister Terrific’s flying ship as they escape the rift opening up Metropolis. Cat Grant has been adapted into live-action five times, and is the gossip columnist at the Daily Planet in DC Comics.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2 (2017)
Narblik
Terence Rosemore began his professional relationship with James Gunn withGuardians of the Galaxy Vol.2where he portrayed the Ravager Narblik, who rebelled against Yondu and met his end as a result. He then portrayed a minor character, Knowhere resident Xlomo Smeth, in subsequentGuardians of the Galaxyinstallments before portraying a Crew Chief inThe Suicide Squad.
Rosemore’sSupermanrole is more major as he portrays another Lex Luthor employee, Otis Berg.This name is a callback to 1978’sSuperman, in which Lex Luthor’s assistant, Otis, names a portion of Lex Luthor’s prospective West Coast landmass “Otisburg” before being chastised into removing it.
Bill Pardy
Nathan Fillion is one of James Gunn’s most prominent collaborators, having begun their working relationship onJames Gunn’s PG Pornbefore starring in more prominent roles inSlitherandSuper. Gunn went on to cameo as differentcharacters in eachGuardians of the Galaxymovie and as the obscure character, The Detachable Kid, inThe Suicide Squad.
Nathan Fillion arguably plays his most significant role in a superhero movie yet inSupermanas Guy Gardner, a particularly arrogant and abrasive Green Lantern. Fillion will reprise therole inPeacemakerseason 2andLanterns, with Fillion asserting that his role in the latter is the most foul-mouthed of his career.
Superman
Cast
Superman (2025): Superman follows the dual life of Clark Kent, a journalist in Metropolis, as he endeavors to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Set against a backdrop of personal discovery, the film explores his journey of identity as he navigates his existence in a complex world.
