James Gunn Has Found Superman's Daddy

Pruitt Taylor Vince on The Walking Dead. - Image: AMC
Pruitt Taylor Vince on The Walking Dead. - Image: AMC
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James Gunn has been filming his new film, Superman, for a few weeks now but there’s still plenty of news to be had. Case in point, the actor behind Jonathan Kent, aka Superman’s Earth father, has just been revealed.

The Wrap reports that character actor Pruitt Taylor Vince, best known for roles in films like Bird Box, Natural Born Killers, and Identity, as well as shows like Deadwood, Agents of SHIELD, and Stranger Things, is playing the character. It’s the role played by Glenn Ford in Superman: The Movie and Kevin Costner in Man of Steel.

Gunn’s film, which stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, reportedly will pick that character’s life up when he’s already Superman. So, if it’s not an origin, just how extensive Taylor Vince’s role is remains to be seen. Clearly, the character plays a bigger role in an origin story as the person who finds Kal-El when he arrives on Earth and raises him as his son, Clark. This also has us wondering, who is playing Martha Kent, Jonathan’s wife, and if Batman’s mom will have the same name? Oh, maybe not that last part.

Either way, Taylor Vince is a very interesting choice because he’s one of those great, chameleon-type actors who can take a role in so many ways. You want super creepy? You want an adorable teddy bear? Taylor Vince has it all. And now he’s joining an already incredible cast that includes Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Skyler Gisondo, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Carrigan, Wendell Pierce, and so many more.

Superman, written and directed by James Gunn, is the first official film in the new DC Universe. It’ll be in theaters July 11, 2025. That means we’ll have maybe even two trailers by this point next year.


Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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