Director James Gunn has revealed he fought to keep a controversial scene in his new “Superman” film where the hero saves a squirrel during a monster attack on Metropolis, despite strong opposition from test audiences.
The moment, featuring David Corenswet’s Superman briefly stopping to rescue the small animal while battling a Kaiju monster, became one of the most debated elements during early screenings. Gunn told Rolling Stone it was “probably the second- or third-most hotly debated moment in the movie.”
Test audiences questioned why Superman would take time to save a squirrel during such a critical battle. “They’re like, ‘Why the f— is he saving a squirrel? Why is he taking time out, saving a squirrel?'” Gunn explained. The director initially removed the scene but later restored it, saying “I really miss the squirrel. He’s gotta save the squirrel.”
Gunn believes the brief moment is essential to showing Superman’s empathy and kindness. In a separate interview with The New York Times, he said: “A lot of people were anti-squirrel. They thought it was too much. And I think it really comes down to, do you like squirrels or not?”
The director also addressed another common criticism he faces: that his films move too quickly. Gunn acknowledged that test screenings consistently label his movies as “too fast” rather than “too slow,” explaining that he prioritizes streamlined storytelling over “precious moments.”
Test screenings have become standard practice for major studio films, though they don’t always predict commercial success. Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” reportedly tested well but still underperformed at the box office with $476 million worldwide.
“Superman” is currently playing in theaters from Warner Bros. and DC Studios.
