James Gunn Declares: Three Superhero Scenes We Don’t Need Anymore!

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Summary

  • James Gunn believes certain scenes, like Spider-Man’s spider bite, can be omitted from superhero movies.
  • Contrary to popular belief, superheroes don’t always need an explicit origin story in films.
  • The popularity of heroes like Spider-Man, Superman, and Batman means their origins are well-known and may not need to be continually revisited.

DC Studios, James Gunn, and it seems nearly all of Hollywood are eagerly anticipating the upcoming release of Superman, which is just around the corner this month. The esteemed director has been quite busy lately, and he expressed his opinion that there are three particular superhero-related scenes that should never be depicted in movies again.

Superhero movies have significantly evolved from the initial release of “Superman: The Movie” in 1978, which marked the beginning of the genre. After the original’s success, several Superman films were produced, and the Batman movie franchise gained immense popularity. During the late ’90s, many imitators attempted to replicate this success but failed. Then, Marvel introduced Blade, X-Men, and Spider-Man, sparking a new era of superhero movies that continues to influence the industry today. Since Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man debuted in 2002, we’ve witnessed numerous developments: Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy revitalized Batman’s cool factor, Iron Man ignited the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the DCEU emerged and faded away, and the Spider-Verse films demonstrated that superhero animation could dominate the box office. Over the past five decades, numerous superhero movies have been produced, with Superman, Batman, and Spider-Man receiving more adaptations than any other heroes. Interestingly, James Gunn believes there are three scenes related to these heroes that should never be repeated in a film again.

In a chat with The Times, director Gunn expressed his view that certain movie scenes featuring superheroes are no longer necessary for today’s audience. He stated emphatically, “There are three tropes I never want to witness again in a superhero film.” These include the infamous pearls from Batman’s parents’ murder scene, Spider-Man getting bitten by a radioactive spider, and baby Kal arriving from Krypton in a small spaceship. As these origins have been extensively portrayed across various media platforms, it seems they no longer contribute anything new to modern productions.

James Gunn Believes Audiences Don’t Need To See Everything About A Superhero’s Origin Story

It’s common knowledge that Peter Parker acquired his extraordinary abilities following a spider bite, as portrayed in 2002’s Spider-Man and 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man. However, unlike these cinematic versions, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Peter Parker hasn’t experienced this event on screen yet, but there’s always a chance for a flashback. Just as well-known are Batman’s parental demise and Superman’s extraterrestrial origins. For many years now, Spider-Man, Superman, and Batman have been the three most beloved superheroes worldwide.

In many films we watch, such as Good Night, and Good Luck, characters’ backgrounds aren’t always fully explored. For instance, we don’t delve into Edward R. Murrow’s early life in that movie to understand how he became a journalist. What matters is the story being told, not necessarily where or how the characters came from.

For a significant period spanning beyond the lifespan of most readers here, various media such as comic books, TV shows, movies, radio dramas, video games, and numerous other forms have chronicled the origins of these iconic characters. Yet, each rendition of these renowned heroes requires a distinct origin story. It’s been argued that audiences are smarter than Hollywood generally gives them credit for, but perhaps the origin stories serve as a foundation for character development and audience connection.

In this specific case, it’s clear that James Gunn has made the correct decision. Here’s to hoping his Superman movie lives up to expectations.

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2025-07-06 23:45