It isn’t surprising to see that former Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman actor Dean Cain attacking James Gunn’s new Superman. But in doing so, he ignores what the character has always stood for.

Before I dive into Dean Cain’s comments, here’s the James Gunn quote—plus my own commentary from my review—that has driven right-wing America up a wall:

As James Gunn put it the other day, “Superman is the story of America. An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.” That framing couldn’t be more relevant in today’s climate, where immigrants—including those with no criminal record—are once again being rounded up and sent to detention centers that some are calling American concentration camps. This Superman arrives at just the right time. Superman stands for truth, justice, and the American way. Xenophobia is not the American way.

Dean Cain referenced to comments made by Fox News’ Jesse Watters as well as touching on immigration:

“The point I think he was making about the MS-13 thing on his cape was: How woke is Hollywood going to make this character? How much is Disney going to change their Snow White? Why are they going to change these characters that exist for the times? For Superman, it was ‘Truth, Justice and the American Way.’ Well, they dropped that. In fact, they let the trademark on that go, so it’s out there, and they came up with ‘Truth, Justice and a Better Tomorrow.’

“Changing beloved characters I don’t think is a great idea. For me, Superman has always stood for ‘Truth, Justice and the American Way,’ and the American Way is immigrant-friendly, tremendously immigrant-friendly. But there are rules…There have to be limits because we can’t have everybody here in the United States. Everybody can’t come here. Our society will fail. So there have to be limits.”

While Dean Cain has disagreements with the politics of it all, he is still rooting for the film to be a success:

“Bringing Superman into it, I think that was a mistake by James Gunn to say it’s an immigrant thing, and I think it’s going to hurt the numbers on the movie. I was excited for the film. I’m excited to see what it is because James Gunn seems to have a sense of humor and the last iterations of Superman didn’t have much humor, and I love the humor in Superman. So I’m rooting for it to be a success, but I don’t like that last political comment.”

Dean Cain is of the belief that Gunn’s comments will hurt the film:

“I don’t think it’s going to help the numbers, and people really need to be educated on this immigration system because we are the most immigrant-friendly, by far, country on this planet.”

Dean Cain’s Criticism Isn’t Just About Superman—It’s About Today’s America

There may have been a time when America was the most immigrant-friendly country—but that’s clearly changing under the current administration. Has Dean Cain paid any attention to how many immigrants have been taken off the streets by ICE in recent months? I’m not going to repeat the comments I made in my review, but is he aware that people are now choosing not to travel here out of fear of detention? Hell, transgender athletes are likely to be turned away. I hesitate to think about what might happen when America hosts the FIFA World Cup in 2026 or the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Shortly after beginning his second term, Trump—a convicted felon—moved aggressively on Project 2025 through executive orders: banning transgender Americans from serving in the military and blocking us from obtaining passports with accurate gender markers. Lawsuits are now working their way through the courts, while the State Department is reportedly tracking transgender passport applications and preparing to revoke recently issued passports if those court decisions are overturned. It honestly feels like my 14th Amendment rights are being trampled, reducing me—a transgender American—to a second- or third-class citizen as federally mandated transphobia becomes the law of the land.

And yet, when public figures like Dean Cain dismiss compassion as “wokeness,” they’re not just criticizing a movie—they’re helping normalize policies that actively dehumanize vulnerable people. It’s bizarre to hear Cain say Superman should stand for “the American Way” while rejecting the very values that phrase is meant to embody: welcome, fairness, opportunity, and hope. What exactly does Cain think the “American Way” is?

The irony about Dean Cain’s comments is that Superman has always been political. He was created in the 1930s by two Jewish sons of immigrants—Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster—as a literal refugee sent from a dying planet. He’s always stood against fascism, cruelty, and authoritarianism. Gunn isn’t making Superman political; he’s reminding us that he always was.

It may be true that Gunn’s comments could turn some people off from watching the new Superman film. But if anyone—Dean Cain included—has a problem with Superman representing kindness and goodness, they’re so far gone that I honestly don’t know what to say. If a new generation of kids sees Superman as a symbol of empathy, truth, and inclusion—that’s not a threat to the character. That’s the best version of him we could possibly have.

Warner Bros. Pictures will release Superman in theaters on July 11, 2025. Grade: 5/5

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