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Are we actually going to have both parents alive for an entire film?
Please, that would be so nice to not have dead Pa Kent. Superman already has two dead parents in space.
jonathan kent's death is kind of an important part of superman's story and a very important lesson in his development of a character. jonathan kent basically exists just to die, like batman's parents.
it's a totally separate part of his character development than his kryptonian parents being dead before he even got to know them.
Is that true though? Modern era superman has Pa Kent alive until the late 2000s, post crisis, and it wasn't really an issue. In fact, IMO the story greatly benefitted from his presence.
Also, let us not forget how amazing the Kents were in Lois & Clark.
DCAU kept them alive as well.
Yeah, we've seen both Kents alive often enough that I can safely say I prefer the DC universe with them both alive. They help to anchor Superman to his humble human roots, when everything else is pulling him to be an alien.
Walk away from tornadoes, Pa!
Yeah, Pa Kent isn't exactly an Uncle Ben equivalent. The death isn't requirement.
Yeah. There are exactly 4 versions of Superman that are widespread that have killed off Pa Kent:
The 1970s movies
Smallville
Man of Steel
Superman comics in like the mid 2000s, well after Superman is an established character.
Most other well received versions of Superman have had Clark flying home for dinner with his parents and both of them being a stabilizing influence on him and other people - Lois and Clark. Post Crisis Superman until like 2008. Superman: The Animated Series. Etc. Superman: Birthright. Injustice.
Lots of people have considered those versions stronger Superman stories and stronger versions of the Character. The idea of a neigh omnipotent man still going home to ask his dad for advice on how to deal with his human issues, like dealing with his love "triangle" with Lois (he loves Lois, Lois loves Superman, Superman is a persona he dons to help people) or how to use his power to fight Lex and what doing the right thing means.
Pa Kent dying is nowhere near "Thomas and Martha Wayne dying" important. You can argue that the idea of Superman being an ideal American who represents many ideals, including idealized masculinity having a healthy relationship with his dad who is there for him, guiding his son even after he became a full grown man, is kind of a more important part of Superman's early days than the sad "man must learn to cope with the loss of his father" story that is usually tossed on Superman too early in his character arc.
I think it's one of the best things about Supes, that he isn't motivated by death or guilt or vengeance. He wants Jonathan and Martha to be proud of him. He wants Earth to be proud of him.
Yeah. I only view him as alive. The Bryne version had him alive.
It is true. Here's why:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=hmwBHt29sRM&pp=ygUuU3VwZXJtYW4gdGhlIG1vdmllIEpvbmF0aGFuIEtlbnQgZnVuZXJhbCBzY2VuZQ%3D%3D&t=185s
If you're going to kill him, it ends up being good only if it happens well into Clark's career as Superman. Better yet if it comes after a huge win for Clark (like beating Darkseid), because it shows the limits of what he can do and provides contrast.
It really isn't, though? Jonathan Kent has been variously alive or dead throughout the history of the comics and other media depending on the continuity and who is writing it. The only reason people tend to think of him dying as a vital part of Superman's origin is because of the first movie.
In all the Superman stories Pa Kent has only Died 4 times. There's so many versions of Superman with Pa Kent alive. It would be nice to have him around to see Clark become Superman.
Yeah, but he doesn’t have to die at the beginning. STAS/JL/JLU had John Kent alive and Supes was still on point, one of the best even.
Really like it as the final coming of age of Superman. He cant always have this perfectly happy family to fall back on
maybe have him live for the first film and die in a sequel? that way he’s more of an established character for the audience to attach to naturally rather than just being told to
That’s only a trope for Superman that started in the 1960’s tv show and carried through the first Superman movie. That doesn’t really hold up when looking at Superman as a legacy character and especially when speaking about source material.
Is that true? At the same time in the comics they were only around in Superboy because precrisis they died right after Superman graduated from High School.
Nah,not really. Even Death of Superman knew better the off him.
Many incredible versions of the character where he has both parents. There enough dead parents in this genre as it is. It’s gets tiring. Let Superman have a dad to differentiate himself a little
Although in the DC animated movies both his parents are alive and he introduces them to Lois,
It was a great scene and I really want that in Live action, I don't want his parents to get fridged just to drive his story forward, he's not Batman and should stay light hearted.
For anyone wondering, it's the Death of Superman Animated movie.
yes, this one flips the narrative entirely because it's superman who dies and not the kents. one of the main things that arc tries to accomplish is how the kents would deal with superman's death for once.
Not necessarily. There's plenty of Superman comics where his Pa is alive in the present day.
If you use that argument then Martha should also die while Clark/Supes is still a teenager Jonathan and Martha both die in the old storyline (not to mention they had several different names in the beginning)
Killing Jonathan and keeping Martha alive is not canon
True. Although it would be nice to get more of him around Clark’s adolescence to show his teachings and explore why Superman is who he is, they did show it but only in small pieces in the last one.
Confidently wrong, I love it.
Does he? Or did you grow up reading Superman before 1986 or with the Superman movies?
Thank God we're finally getting something other than boomer Superman.
Pa Kent was alive in the comics until very recently. His death isn't crucial
Not true. The Kents dying serves no purpose in the Superman story. Either keep both parents alive, or keep both parents dead. Don't just leave one alive. It makes it cruel of Clark to abandon his widowed mom.
i'm sorry but if you don't understand the purpose jonathan kent's death serves in superman's character development then you simply do not understand anything about superman/clark.
Given what Gunn has said of the film and the fact his father dying influenced his writing of the script, I have a feeling Pa Kent ain’t gonna make it through the film
Pa Kent : Hey... im gonna go kill myself to teach you that saving people isn't what you need to do. Ok, Superman?
FLASHBACKs
I think he's gonna do the comics heart attack, instead of something else side-eye
Man that scene isn’t award worthy or anything but everyone in this thread seems to be deliberately ignoring why that scene unfolded the way it did. And if they aren’t ignoring it they’re just picking apart the logic of panicked people who are scrambling to escape a major tornado.
The scene is a bit clunky but it’s not hard to understand either, idk man.
The tornado scene is just so incompetently told that even though the logic kind of makes sense if you stretch it really thin, you just can't buy it.
They sure wanted to use literally anyone in this thumbnail except for the actor named in the title.
Yeah WTF? lol.
I'm kinda into Johnny Cage being Pa Kent now...
Oh, the drunk priest from Constantine? Interesting
Nah, bro. That’s Tim Roth’s buddy from the Legend of 1900.
"Whores don't get a 2nd chance" from Identity
As long as he doesn't let a tornado swallow him up
“Stay there, boy. Don’t follow me in. I got something to prove.” “What?” “… your mother’s cooking is shit, and this is my way out…”
If his plan is to run to the tornado, let the dog out and run back the maybe send your son who’s impervious to everything do it? If you can jog there and jog back then surely Clark can do it faster and safer and without even really using his powers.
If his plan is to run to the tornado, let the dog out and then die because he can’t run back.. idk maybe don’t? I love dogs I do, but if my dad died jumping into a tornado to save the family dog I’d be furious. “Cool dad, sparky is still here but we’re gonna lose the house and mom cries herself to sleep every night… good job. You have a wife and a son and a mortgage, you jackass”
I thought it was clear Jonathan didn't want Clark to let anyone see/know who/what he is, so he didn't want Clark to do anything other than be a regular scared person.
Ok but if he just ran over there at regular buff 20 something man speed and did exactly what the middle aged Johnathan was going to do, it’d be much safer and no one would think any differently of Clark. Literally just don’t break the sound barrier or pick up the car and he’s good.
Hell Clark could’ve ran as fast as Usain Bolt and anybody watching would’ve chalked it up to adrenaline, not aliens.
He didn’t know his son is impervious to everything or what he’s capable of. If you knew your son pushed a bus, would you send him into a freaking tornado to save a dog? No. As a father, that would be extremely irresponsible and stupid.
Tornadoes can be unpredictable and difficult to predict their path. Jonathan knew the family dog was still in the car but also didn’t know if the tornado would hit the car. On top of that, the only reason why he couldn’t run back was because the tornado did end up coming his way and tossed a car onto the one he was in, crushing his foot.
Yes, had he sent Clark in Clark would have survived, we know that. But did Jonathan know that? Or was he acting like a father should and trying to avoid sending his son to a possible death?
The scene is always lazily criticized. Everything makes sense in the scene. If you don’t like the premise that’s one thing, but Jonathan’s actions make sense when you realize they are parents who don’t know what Clark is fully capable of or what can hurt him.
Then again, maybe don’t. If you can’t send your son who’s objectively faster than you, a 50 something man on this speed related task because it’s too dangerous, then it is doubly dangerous for you, a 50 something man. And your family needs you more than the dog. This is the same guy that said maybe letting a bus full of kids drown is best if it keeps his family safe. SURELY he understands why running into a tornado is the wrong call here
✋😐
"No, Clark, don't prevent my untimely death in a way that no one is likely to notice. I'm teaching you a lesson. A lesson that will ultimately be meaningless."
"Also the guy that wrote me is going to become increasingly unhinged about how Batman refusing to use guns and not kill people isn't even canon, and how only a few fringe stories ever said that, and how it's totally okay that he had Batman machine gunning people down."
"It's all likely a PR play to get attention for the sequel to his movie that flopped, but still, it's weird. He's weir-OHGAWDTHETORNADOSGOTME."
Snyder insisting Batman shoots and kills people and that it's somehow "the true canon" is far weirder and more immature to me than people thinking he shouldn't kill or use guns. The former is edgy teenage nonsense, the latter is realizing that a character determined to always uphold those values even when it's impossible is actually pretty interesting.
I love how Snyder was like "We need to have Pa Kent die so how should we make the MOMENT impossible for Supes to save him?"
...
[Pa Kent puts his hand out to stop Superman from saving him and then dies saving a dog.]
Cinematic genius. /s
Meanwhile in the comics: Heart attack. Because Pa is human and Clark can't save everyone.
With the knife twist that he hears it and can't get there in time.
Get there in time to do what though? Perform surgery?
Well humanly, say goodbye or I love you or something.
But to poke at the comics of it, some writers like to take his powers a few notches past 11. So some dumb crap like heat vision to massage the heart or something until he can he rushed to the Fortress for some Kryptonian tech nonsense.
Having him away just squashes those kind of weird possibilities quibbles.
yOu ClEaRlY dOn'T uNdErStAnD
It'S a MoViE fOr SmArT pEoPlE
He’s… on his own journey.
The writing in these movies is shit. Martha in the sequel.
WHY DID YOU SAY THAT NAME?!!!
Worst ending to an otherwise cool fight.
Fully aware how bad the movie is as a whole but the action was cool.
No it was 90% pushing and pulling it was highly underwhelming
Mose from Deadwood!
That casting intrigues me though. Definitely more “average dad” vibes than when you cast someone like Costner (.. and fucking Diane Lane!) as Superman’s adoptive dad. Feels pretty appropriate.
I was trying to figure out where I remembered him from, I fucking love Deadwood.
Fuck yeah, Deadwood
He's been a solid supporting actor for decades. The article doesn't do his film roles justice, he's been memorable in a lot of stuff, from Nobody's Fool to Identity.
I love when good, grounded character actors get important roles like this. Dude's been in a ton of stuff that didn't suck.
I’m in agreement with others that he wasn’t a logical choice in my mind. He’s such a solid performer of unusual characters that I’m really intrigued to see him in a paternal role.
He’s great in a lean and mean indie horror movie called The Devil’s Candy.
He's a perfect looking, average, rural farmer. And that's the only really key part of Pa Kent for me. He's going to crush it because he's also quite a good actor. This is one of the lowkey best castings so far imo.
He's gonna hit some really solid emotional father-son bonding moments very well. Especially with Pa Kent always being the moral core for Clark's character.
Not an obvious choice at all, but he’s been great in everything I’ve seen him in and I trust Gunn at this point when it comes to casting.
Still not over poor Otis
Otisburg?
Alright I’m gonna say it, but this is the first casting choice that had me not say “That’s the obvious pick, of course”
I have faith in James Gunn, and this casting choice. James Gunn’s favoritism for themes about fatherhood in his films show that he will take this character with extreme respect. Honestly Pa Kent is probably gonna be the heart of this movie.
However, looking at the similarities in looks, could James Gunn be modeling Pa Kent after his own father? I imagine so
I think Rachel Brosnahan felt super logical as Lois, and I love whasisname from the Wire as Perry White too.
No matter how many times I learn Wendell Pierce’s name, and no matter how many projects I see him in, I keep defaulting to just calling him “Bunk.”
Oh yeah, Bunk was in Treme too. Had a whole 'nother name, but 'The Bunk' was too likable when most everyone else in the show had some dark shit they went through.
Natural po-lice
I liked this actor growing up but look at the photo of him next to the comic Kent.
He has very kind eyes imo, aged but kind. Idk I can see this actor doing super caring moments...
But also. I think we focus way too hard on the look.of an actor or their personality. People seem to forget they're ACTORS, they are paid to play things different from what they are.
Fwiw the guy in the thumbnail isn't the actor, it's a random picture
I'm talking about the photo actually in the article when you click it
Husky, kind-eyed Pa Kent has been done before. Post-Crisis Superman comics, the 90s show with Dean Cain, the DCAU.
DEF not the obvious choice, but a killer one. PTV is an amazing character actor and very memorable. I think this will surprise a lot of people at how good it is.
Gunn loves character actors, and I think he particularly enjoys making them centerpiece supporting characters in his movies. Michael Rooker in Guardians, David Dastmalchian in Suicide Squad, and now Pruitt Taylor Vince in Superman. Seems like he enjoys giving lesser known actors who’ve had long, reliable careers a moment in the spotlight.
Personally speaking, but I never want to say "that's the obvious pick, of course" about casting. Just seems kinda lazy, to me.
Reminds me of all the fancasts of stuff (cough Teen Titans cough) that act like Timothy Chalamet/Tom Holland/Jenna Ortega/Zendaya are the only younger actors in existence.
Like, look at Paul Dano as the Riddler. I don't think anybody would ever say he's the obvious pick. But he fucking killed it.
Oh he definitely was the obvious pick
You think so? I really only knew him from little miss sunshine, but I never in a million years would have guessed him for Riddler.
He was great in Identity
Also The Devil’s Candy with a transformed Ethan Embry
He’s also in Constantine.
He’s in sooo many things