In an age of endless remakes and superhero fatigue, Nathan Fillion says he isn鈥檛 sure the world needs another Superman movie. But he鈥檚 certain it needs what the new one represents.
鈥淚 think all the Superman iterations have had incredible value. I love them all. This one harkens back to the comic books, the very core idea of what Superman stands for: it's about hope, it's about choosing kindness,鈥� says the Edmonton-born actor, who plays the Green Lantern in the James Gunn-made reboot of the DC Universe franchise.
鈥淚 think that message is well-timed right now. Do we need another Superman movie? I don't know, but do we need a message of hope and kindness? I will say yes.鈥�
鈥淪uperman,鈥� soaring into theatres Friday, is the latest film to take on Krypton鈥檚 last son. David Corenswet stars as the titular hero, an alien with godlike powers trying to do good in a world that鈥檚 increasingly suspicious of his motives. As distrust mounts, tech mogul Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult, exploits the paranoia, painting Superman as a threat.
The film has faced backlash from right-wing pundits following a recent interview where Gunn told 鈥淭he Sunday Times of London鈥� that the story is about 鈥渁n immigrant that came from other places鈥� and might offend some because it focuses on 鈥渉uman kindness.鈥� On a Fox News segment titled 鈥淪uperwoke,鈥� host Kellyanne Conway objected, arguing audiences 鈥渄on鈥檛 go to the movie theatre to be lectured to.鈥�
Fillion鈥檚 response to the outrage is one of empathy.
鈥淲hen I hear that, I simply think somebody needs a hug and to remember it's just a movie,鈥� he says on a call Wednesday from Los Angeles.
鈥淚 mean, I saw the movie. I don't know how political it was.鈥�
Still, Gunn鈥檚 film mirrors real-world anxieties: Luthor is a power-hungry billionaire pulling government strings, citizens are divided by disinformation, and the story opens with a lopsided war raging between two fictional nations.
Joining Superman are the Green Lantern, Isabela Merced鈥檚 Hawkgirl and Edi Gathegi鈥檚 Mister Terrific 鈥� a trio of metahumans known as the Justice Gang, who stand alongside him to protect humanity.
Fillion is the first actor to bring the Guy Gardner version of the Green Lantern to the big screen 鈥� a cocky, obnoxious fan-favourite from the comics who stands apart from the more straight-laced Lanterns who came before him, such as Hal Jordan, portrayed by Ryan Reynolds in the 2011 film 鈥淕reen Lantern.鈥�
鈥淲hat I like about him is the idea that you don't have to be good to be a Green Lantern. You just have to be fearless,鈥� he says.
Fillion, who got his start on the soap 鈥淥ne Life to Live鈥� and found cult fame with Joss Whedon鈥檚 early-aughts drama 鈥淔irefly,鈥� says at the beginning of his career he gravitated toward 鈥渇lawless鈥� characters because he wanted to be well liked.
鈥淚 was really, really wrong about that,鈥� he says.
鈥淣o one can relate to someone who is perfect, and no one likes a guy who is perfect. We like people who are flawed, because we can relate to that. We are, all of us, flawed.鈥�
That realization has helped shape much of Fillion鈥檚 career, as he鈥檚 played charmingly imperfect heroes including a smug crime novelist on 2010s dramedy 鈥淐astle鈥� and an everyman cop on police procedural 鈥淭he Rookie,鈥� which just wrapped its seventh season.
As Gardner, he sports a hairdo audiences may not be used to seeing him in: a blond bowl cut. Fillion says he fought for the look as producers considered other styles.
鈥淚 was team bowl cut all the way. It is canon. I think if we didn't do it, we were going to hear about it,鈥� he says.
鈥淚t says a lot about Guy Gardner. When you see a guy walking down the street with a bowl cut, he clearly does not care what you think.鈥�
鈥淪uperman鈥� is seen as the true kickoff for James Gunn鈥檚 revamped DC Universe under his leadership at DC Studios.
Fillion, who previously worked with Gunn on 2021鈥檚 鈥淭he Suicide Squad鈥� and 2023鈥檚 鈥淕uardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,鈥� says he鈥檚 all-in on the new DCU. He will be reprising his role as Gardner in the forthcoming series 鈥淟anterns鈥� and the second season of 鈥淧eacemaker,鈥� both on Max.
He says he'd be up for starring in a stand-alone Justice Gang movie.
鈥淚f I get the chance, I'll ride this one until it's in the ground. It'll be fantastic,鈥� he says.
Fillion says he always hopes 鈥渘obody鈥檚 a jerk鈥� when he starts a new project, but Gunn is 鈥渋ncredible鈥� at vetting the people he works with. As a result, he鈥檚 formed bonds with many actors he鈥檚 鈥渃ome to love as people.鈥�
鈥淭hey hate it when I say this, but we don't just walk away friends. We walk away super friends.鈥�
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2025.
Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
