Holy shit! We did not see that coming at all! Just like nepotism has become a gigantic and unignorable issue in Bollywood, Hollywood has its own version—Gunnism. This essentially refers to actors who are favourites of filmmaker and co-DC Studios head James Gunn, repeatedly getting cast in his upcoming projects.
While the so-called Gunnism seems like an insurance policy for Gunn’s favourite actors, nepotism in Bollywood works similarly—except that it prioritises securing roles for actors from well-known acting families, regardless of their actual talent.
Anyway, we don’t want to ruin your mood because we finally know about the “big cameo” that Gunn has been teasing for so long in his upcoming DCU film, Superman, starring David Corenswet.
Prominent scooper Jeff Sneider, along with several other insiders, has revealed that Gunn’s Superman movie features a secret cameo appearance. Sneider recently reported that this cameo received an extremely loud and enthusiastic reaction during a test screening.
To avoid revealing a major plot point, Sneider hasn’t disclosed the character’s identity. However, strong rumours suggest that Bradley Cooper might be playing Superman’s father, Jor-El, appearing briefly at the beginning of the film.
That said, there were also rumours about Tom Cruise being considered for the same role. Guess we have to settle for a downgrade in the form of Cooper—no offense, man!
Here’s what Daniel Richtman had to say about the recent Superman movie screening.
Superman had a test screening and from what I hear people loved it.
— Daniel Richtman (@DanielRPK) March 27, 2025
However, not all reactions to the forthcoming DCU project were positive. Check out this tweet from MyTimeToShineHello:
The reaction to the Superman test screening was decidedly mixed. Some people thought it was okay, some liked it, and others didn’t.
— MyTimeToShineHello (@MyTimeToShineH) March 28, 2025
Bradley Cooper, famous for voicing Rocket Raccoon in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, has faced numerous questions about potentially joining the DC Universe, given his close working relationship with James Gunn. Speculation has been fueled by Gunn’s tendency to repeatedly collaborate with a core group of actors.
With multiple DC Universe films in the pipeline, it’s clear that Gunn will likely continue casting actors he frequently works with. So, we can expect to see familiar faces taking on new roles as the franchise evolves.
There’s no doubt about Bradley Cooper’s acting abilities—he would do justice to Jor-El in Gunn’s Superman. Plus, his star power and prominence would certainly help generate even more hype among the DC fanbase for the upcoming DCU movie.
Casting popular and highly talented actors for Jor-El has worked well for both DC and Warner Bros. in the past. We had the legendary Marlon Brando in Superman (1978), and the supremely talented, Oscar-winning Russell Crowe took on the role in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel (2013). Now, it’s Cooper’s turn!
Superman will hit theaters worldwide on July 11. Stay tuned for more updates!