What 'Superman' and 'Oppenheimer' Have in Common — James Gunn Explains the Surprising Link

You may think the atomic bomb creator and a fantastic world hero have nothing in common — but James Gunn sees a connection.

Sounds wild, right? But the Superman director has a surprising take comparing his upcoming superhero epic to Oppenheimer, the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer — the father of the atomic bomb.

Here’s what Gunn said in an interview with Esquire Philippines: "We're used to seeing movies with a protagonist, and Superman is definitely the protagonist. He has his work friends and his play friends. I don't know if the Justice Gang or the Daily Planet staff are his play or work friends, but those are his two groups. Just because they have insignias or superpowers doesn't mean they aren't like any other supporting character. I think Oppenheimer has three times as many speaking roles as we do."

So even with a sprawling cast of heroes and sidekicks, Superman remains the centre of the story. The others are just the people who fill out his world — his crew, if you will.

Think about Oppenheimer: sure, there are many characters, but the focus stays firmly on Cillian Murphy’s portrayal of the man himself — and James Gunn promises the same will be true for Superman.