Is Kurt Russell Playing Superman: Legacy's Jor-El? DC's James Gunn Ends Debate

After Kurt Russell reacted to those Jor-El "Superman: Legacy" rumors, the brainiac behind the project has weighed in. Always one to clarify speculation flying around his adaptation of the Man of Steel, director James Gunn revealed that while it was great to work with Russell in the past, the actor is not playing Superman's father in his film.

Responding to a post on Threads wondering if Russell was joining the project as Krypton's coolest dad, Gunn cleared things up, saying, "I love working with and directing Kurt. Hilarious and fun and talented guy. But no, this was never discussed." When another fan asked the same question, the filmmaker reiterated his comments, saying, "Love Kurt, and, although the mores of Krypton are certainly different than ours, I'm not sure I see him as the first-time father of a newborn!"

So there you have it. Kurt Russell, who had already played Star-Lord's father, Ego, in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" isn't pulling daddy duty on the DC side of things. While Gunn shot down these supposed scoops with a Kryptonite bullet, he didn't deny that Jor-El would appear in the new movie, which might be an essential element given what we know so far.

While it certainly looks like a Watchtower full of superheroes is being squeezed into David Corenswet's first stint as Clark Kent, there's little information regarding casting his family roots from Earth and his homeworld. In the grand scheme of things, though, Jor-El will likely appear (the clue is in the title, right?). It's just a question of how much he'll be involved in the new Superman story.

Given the title of "Superman: Legacy," it wouldn't be surprising for Jor-El and his wife, Lara, to have prominent roles — perhaps even surpassing the 20+ minutes of screentime Russell Crowe has as Jor-El in 2013's "Man of Steel." According to a plot synopsis (via Variety), the movie sees Kal-El attempt to "reconcile with his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing." Who portrays Superman's parents remains to be seen, but the director and current co-head of the forthcoming DC Universe has confirmed he's the best place for future news. "Just don't trust anything that doesn't come from me. The rumor mill has been insane and profoundly misinformed lately." For now, we can only wait and see if anyone else gets the call from Krpyton before "Superman: Legacy" arrives in theaters on July 11, 2025.