‘Woke’: New Superman reboot divides fans and critics around the world

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a reboot that has the world divided over whether the new Superman is the perfect story from a comic book — or has it gone Superwoke? See what critics are saying.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a past Superman complaining.

Dean Cain, 58, who played Superman in the ‘90s TV series “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” has a bone to pick with the new James Gunn Superman movie starring David Corenswet, 32.

“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 [to] exist for the times?” Cain said in a video interview with TMZ published Wednesday.

Gunn, 58, recently told the Sunday Times of London that “‘Superman’ is the story of America … An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country.”

The “Guardians of the Galaxy” director added: “But for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.”

Cain slammed Gunn’s remarks, telling TMZ: “I think 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 am excited to see what it is … I’m rooting for it to be a success, but I don’t like that last political comment.”

Dean Cain as Superman in the ’90s.

The former “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!” host added that Superman’s motto used to be, “truth, justice and the American way,” which is, “immigrant friendly,” but “there are rules.”

“You can’t come in saying, ‘I want to get rid of all the rules in America, because I want it to be more like Somalia.’ Well that doesn’t work, because you had to leave Somalia to come here,” he continued. “There have to be limits, because we cant have everybody in the United States. We can’t have everybody, society will fail. So there have to be limits.”

In his Times interview, Gunn said that some audience members who watch the action movie through a political lens could have a negative reaction to it. Driving home that point, the Sunday Times’ headline is: “Some people will take offence at my new ‘Superman.’”

“Yes, it plays differently,” Gunn said. “But it’s about human kindness and obviously there will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness. But screw them.”

Cain is just one of several conservative media personalities who blasted Gunn’s comments.

“He’s creating a moat of woke, enlightened opinion around him. He’s got a woke shield,” said Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld, with a graphic on the screen that read “Superwoke.”

Peter Safran, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, David Corenswet and James Gunn attend the Los Angeles premiere of Superman. Picture: Getty Images

Fox News host Jesse Watters joked that “MS-13” is written on Superman’s cape.

Meanwhile, The Post movie critic Johnny Oleksinski gave the new flick a positive review, writing, “For a change of pace, you leave the entertaining ‘Superman’ not confused or clobbered, but feeling good … I got a sensation that’s become increasingly rare in this tired old genre: Chills.”

The Daily Beast’s Nick Schager wrote: “Superman doesn’t skimp on the high-flying action, to a fault; the film is so awash in over-the-top CGI insanity that its slam-bang mayhem loses its punch.”

“Superman is great,” Brian Hiatt of Rolling Stone wrote. “It’s the most comic book-y superhero movie ever made, probably closest in tone to the Raimi Spider-Man movies but far more fantastical. That leaked review is gonna end up as a major outlier.”

Slashfilm’s Chris Evangelista said: “Gosh, I absolutely loved this. James Gunn’s feature-length comic book splash page is so unapologetically silly, earnest, and intentionally corny that it utterly charmed me. Left a big, stupid smile on my face by the end.”

Screenrant’s Molly Freeman said: “James Gunn’s Superman is GREAT from start to finish — just a fun-filled, action-packed, quintessential summer blockbuster. It’s the shot of adrenaline the superhero movie genre needs. Also, Krypto is THE BEST dog.”

David Corenswet in a scene from Superman. Picture: Warner Bros. Pictures via AP

Showbiz 411’s Roger Friedman added: “Superman really fun, not political at all. Corenswet and Brosnahan have terrific chemistry. Lots of fun with Krypto the dog. Nicholas Hoult is a top notch scene chewer. Loved the fortress of solitude. A relief from past DC operas. Past few Superman movies I dreaded they were so serious. This makes you feel like you’re enjoying a comic book. Kudos to James Gunn. Again. Nothing woke no politics. But Superman confronts his origin story in a successful way.”

David Corenswet in a scene from Superman with his dog. Picture: Warner Bros. Pictures via AP

The cast stood by Gunn’s interview on Monday’s red carpet in Los Angeles.

“My reaction to [the backlash] is that it is exactly what the movie is about,” Sean Gunn, James Gunn’s brother who plays Maxwell Lord, told Variety.

“We support our people, you know? We love our immigrants. Yes, Superman is an immigrant, and yes, the people that we support in this country are immigrants and if you don’t like that, you’re not American. People who say no to immigrants are against the American way,” he added.

Nathan Fillion, who plays the Green Lantern, quipped to naysayers: “Aw, somebody needs a hug. [It’s] just a movie, guys.”

Cain’s comments come after he recently reflected on his co-star, Teri Hatcher, who played his Lois Lane.

In May, during an appearance on the “Inside of You” podcast, Cain, weighed in on the rumours that the former “Desperate Housewives” star, 60, is difficult to work with.

Director James Gunn and star David Corenswet on the set of Superman.

Cain and Hatcher starred on “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” together, which ran on ABC from 1993 to 1997.

“Sometimes [it was] the greatest thing in the world and sometimes a lot more difficult,” Cain said in May.

He added, “There were times where we had great chemistry. There were times where it was just the easiest thing in the world. I’m a team guy. I’m real simple. Plug me in and let’s go. I’m here to get this done as fast as we can.”

Cain explained, “But also, it seemed like I just wanted to finish and go home. I almost feel like she didn’t. There were times where I felt like, ‘I don’t think she wants to go home because she’s worried about this one little thing that has nothing to do with what we’re doing. And that’s slowing us down for two and a half hours. Like, I don’t understand.’”

But, he also admitted that Hatcher “carried the show.”

“I just got to react off her. It worked wonderfully. It was a great pairing. I still think — no offence to anybody else’s Lois Lane — but I still think she’s the best Lois Lane of all time.”

Gunn’s “Superman” movie hits theatres Friday, July 11.

This story was originally published in The New York Post. 

Originally published as ‘Woke’: New Superman reboot divides fans and critics around the world