Dean Cain Calls New Superman “Woke”: What He Really Thinks
The release of James Gunn’s new Superman movie has reignited debate about the character’s identity, with former Superman actor Dean Cain voicing strong concerns. The Dean Cain Superman woke controversy centers on Gunn’s decision to highlight Superman as an immigrant—a move Cain believes risks alienating fans and politicizing the iconic hero.
Why Dean Cain Thinks Superman Is “Woke”
Dean Cain, who starred as Clark Kent in the 1990s series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, has been outspoken in recent interviews about the direction of the new film. His main points include:
- Politicization of Superman: Cain argues that framing Superman as a metaphor for immigration is a “woke” move by Hollywood, unnecessarily injecting current political debates into a beloved character’s story.
- Changing Traditions: He criticizes the shift from Superman’s classic motto “truth, justice, and the American way” to “truth, justice, and a better tomorrow,” seeing it as an attempt to modernize the character for contemporary ideologies.
- Risk of Alienating Audiences: Cain warns that emphasizing immigration themes could divide Superman’s fanbase and hurt the movie’s box office performance, especially among viewers who prefer less political storytelling.
“How woke is Hollywood going to make this character? For Superman, it was ‘truth, justice, and the American way.’ Well, they dropped that… Changing beloved characters I don’t think is a great idea. If you want to create a new character go ahead and do that.” — Dean Cain
Dean Cain’s Take on Superman’s Immigrant Identity
While Cain acknowledges that Superman is technically an immigrant—being an alien from Krypton—he draws a distinction between that and current political debates about immigration in America. He says:
- Superman as a Symbol: “The ‘American way’ is immigrant friendly, tremendously 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… There have to be limits, because we can’t have everybody in the United States. Society will fail.”
- Superman’s True Strength: Cain believes Superman’s real strength is his “goodness” and “basic human kindness,” not his status as an immigrant
The Broader Backlash and Political Climate
Cain’s comments come amid a larger conservative backlash against the film’s pro-immigration messaging. Right-wing media figures have mocked the movie, with some claiming Superman now stands for “truth, justice, and your preferred pronouns” and joking about the hero wearing gang symbols on his cape568. The debate reflects ongoing tensions in the U.S. over immigration policy and the role of pop culture in political discourse.
Cain’s Final Thoughts and Hopes for the Film
Despite his criticism, Cain insists he still hopes the new Superman movie is a success and appreciates the lighter, more humorous tone James Gunn brings to the character. However, he remains wary of what he sees as unnecessary political messaging:
“I’m excited to see what it is… I love the humour in Superman. But I don’t like that last political comment.