The rumor mill surrounding James Gunn’s Superman has taken a surreal turn, with leaked details describing a plotline that pits the Man of Steel against an army of keyboard-tapping mutant monkeys-and reignites conversations about Gunn’s own social media missteps.
Per sources including X account MyTimeToShineHello and Cosmic Book News, the film will depict Superman (David Corenswet) grappling with a viral campaign to tarnish his reputation. The hashtag #SuperShit trends relentlessly, allegedly orchestrated by Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who commands hundreds of primates in an interdimensional lair to flood social media with anti-Superman rhetoric.
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While Gunn has previously debunked leaks from the same source, the reported premise-complete with Luthor’s chaotic menagerie-echoes the director’s penchant for blending irreverent humor with superhero mythos. However, the inclusion of online mob dynamics invites comparisons to Gunn’s real-life controversies.
The director faced career turbulence in 2018 when decade-old tweets resurfaced, featuring antisemitism, racism, fat shaming, and ghoulishly tasteless jokes about sex with minors. Disney temporarily removed him from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, though Disney later rehired him, and Warner Bros. later entrusted him with their DC Studios’ reboot.
Related: Disney Fires James Gunn Over Problematic Tweets
This context adds irony to the rumored storyline. Gunn, who experienced online backlash firsthand, now positions Superman as a target of manufactured outrage-a narrative critics argue mirrors his perceived grievances. Cosmic Book News speculates the plot could serve as “Gunn’s revenge” against detractors, noting similarities to his Creature Commandos series, which featured a subplot about incel extremists.
Warner Bros. has not commented on the leaks. Meanwhile, online discourse divides between those amused by the premise’s absurdity and others accusing Gunn of prioritizing political messaging over storytelling. “Why would Luthor need monkeys when bots exist?” one critic asked, referencing the director’s alleged tendency to caricature ideological opponents
Oh no, the #Supershit rumors in James Gunn’s Superman are true!
— Nerdrotic (@Nerdrotics) April 29, 2025
Whether the monkey subplot survives final edits remains unclear. Gunn recently confirmed the first full trailer is imminent, teasing, “I can’t wait to show you guys!” As of today, James Gunn hasn’t shot down the rumor on Threads, which is something he is known to do regarding rumors. The film’s official synopsis emphasizes Superman’s “compassion and belief in the goodness of humankind,” contrasting sharply with the leak’s cynical tone.
Superman lands in theaters July 11, 2025, offering either a heartfelt hero’s journey or a meta-commentary on digital age divisiveness-depending on which leaks prove true.
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