Share and Follow
“Truth, Justice, and the American Way” was once a phrase as iconic as “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” While the latter is forever etched in the Declaration of Independence, the former is synonymous with Superman, the DC Comics superhero. Most are well-acquainted with his tale: a baby alien, Kal-El, is sent from Krypton to Earth, landing on the farm of Ma and Pa Kent. Raised with American values, he evolves into a heroic figure, consistently saving the planet from peril.
Sony Pictures Releasing
But what if Superman’s story took a darker turn? Enter the 2019 film “Brightburn,” now available on Netflix. In this intriguing twist, producer James Gunn explores the unsettling possibilities of an alternate upbringing or a less-than-pure soul for our extraterrestrial hero. Though Gunn, known for his work on “Guardians of the Galaxy,” helped conceptualize the film, it was directed by David Yarovesky and penned by Brian and Mark Gunn—James’s brother and cousin, respectively.
The film introduces us to an alien boy named Brandon, portrayed by Jackson Dunn, who is discovered by his adoptive parents, played by Elizabeth Banks and David Denman. As Brandon matures, his parents become increasingly alarmed by his sinister tendencies. Rather than a savior, Brandon seems destined to bring destruction. “Brightburn” delivers a chilling and bizarre narrative that will captivate fans of Gunn’s work. It stands out as a hidden horror gem, blending superhero elements with a terrifying twist.
James Gunn had strong views on the design of the menacing alien child’s mask, aiming for an iconic horror look. As Brandon succumbs to his darker instincts, he wears a red knit mask laced up the front—an unsettling visual that Gunn and his team meticulously crafted. “I just gave so many notes on that mask, trying to create a really truly iconic horror movie character,” Gunn shared with Entertainment Weekly. He aspired for it to evoke the same fear as characters like Freddy Krueger or Jason, blending superhero elements with deep-rooted horror.
Despite the mask’s instant scare factor, it hasn’t reached the iconic status Gunn desired. While “Brightburn” offers more excitement than many might expect, it holds a modest 57% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Although it avoided the box office fate of other 2019 films like “Booksmart,” it didn’t become a blockbuster sensation. Instead, “Brightburn” has earned a place as a cult favorite. It’s a niche status Gunn is familiar with, as several of his films, including “Slither,” share similar acclaim.
Gunn hoped Brightburn’s mask would be iconic
Sony Pictures Releasing
When James Gunn worked on crafting “Brightburn,” he had a lot of opinions about how the supervillainous alien child’s mask should look. Ultimately, as Brandon gives in to his evil nature — or was it nurture? — he dons a red knit mask with shoelaces up the front. It’s an unsettling image, which is exactly what Gunn and his filmmaking team were going for. “I just gave so many notes on that mask, trying to create a really truly iconic horror movie character in the same way that Freddy Krueger is, or in the same way that Leatherface is, or in the same way that Jason is,” the producer told Entertainment Weekly. “[We were] trying to create something with that same sort of feel that is instantly scary [and] plays with the superhero-ness of it all but at the same time is most definitely rooted in horror.”
Brightburn’s mask may be instantly scary and also playful, but it unfortunately didn’t wind up being particularly iconic. While the movie is more fun than a lot of people gave it credit for, “Brightburn” has an underwhelming score of 57% on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie thankfully avoided bombing at the box office alongside other 2019 films like “Booksmart,” but it wasn’t exactly a smash-hit blockbuster, either. Instead, “Brightburn” now has a reputation as a cult favorite. We imagine Gunn is probably okay with that; several of his other films fall into the same category, including “Slither.”
Brightburn is especially interesting now that James Gunn has directed a Superman movie
Warner Bros.
It’s interesting to look back on “Brightburn” now, given how things worked out for the film’s producer. James Gunn is now guiding the timeline of the DC Universe, meaning he’s in charge of the very character he once subverted. Furthermore, Gunn himself directed 2025’s “Superman,” a film that explores a new, hopeful vision of the iconic alien. “Brightburn” is extremely pessimistic, a sort of funhouse-mirror version of the Superman story Gunn would go on to tell. “Superman” is a fundamentally optimistic film, an earnest movie that truly believes in the power of humanity to help one another. Still, there are some interesting parallels between the two films.
Gunn altered Kal-El’s origin story in his DCU film, imagining a version of Superman who learns that his parents actually sent him to rule over Earth, not to save it. It’s an interesting reflection of an America that is still reckoning with the sins of its past. How can we claim to stand for “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” if we’re not being honest about what our forefathers did to the people who were here before us? While Gunn’s Superman strives to find a way through that origin story, Brightburn decides to lean into it. Taken together, the two films offer a fork-in-the-road vision of the United States. Which example will we follow?
