James Gunn is bringing some familiar faces from his Guardians of the Galaxy squad into upcoming DCU films, or at least one of them, and now we know exactly who Bradley Cooper is playing in the David Corenswet’s Superman movie. The Marvel alum is set to take on a legendary role, one that extends beyond voice work and into holographic territory.
So, how did the DC Studios Co-CEO land Cooper for the gig? It all unfolded in peak Gunn fashion. In a recent interview with Jake’s Takes, the director revealed that the casting wasn’t the result of a formal pitch meeting or studio wrangling—it was simply a favor between friends. As the Slither screenwriter put it, this was less about paperwork and more about a well-placed ask:
Really, Bradley’s just doing me a favor. He’s a friend. We’ve stayed in close contact since the Guardians movies, and I admire him greatly as an actor and as a director.
upcoming superhero movies of the decade. He continued:
A Star is Born actor is set to take on the part of none other than Jor-El, Kal-El’s legendary Kryptonian father.
If you’ve seen his work as Rocket in Guardians of the Galaxy, you already know Cooper can deliver pathos from behind pixels. Now, he’s lending that same soulful energy to the last moments of Krypton, just with less fur and more gravitas.
It’s not just a one-off cameo, either. Gunn previously confirmed that fellow Guardians of the Galaxy vets Pom Klementieff (Mantis) and Michael Rooker (Yondu) are also part of the Superman cast, voicing robotic characters in the Fortress of Solitude along with Creature Commandos veteran voice actor Alan Tudyk.
As for the role of Jor-El, a part played by iconic actors like Marlon Brando and Russell Crowe, DC’s Gods and Monsters architect kept expectations grounded, saying the appearance is brief but emotionally potent. It’s less about screentime and more about story weight. A 3D hologram of Bradley Cooper dropping cosmic dad wisdom? Yeah, we’ll take that over another sky beam any day.
Gunn didn’t confirm whether Cooper will return in future films, but he left the door wide open. When asked if we could see him pop back up in future projects, he teased:
You never know. It’s possible…
Superman soars into theaters on July 11, 2025, and if Bradley Cooper’s Jor-El is any indication—not to mention those epic early trailers—it’s clear James Gunn is aiming for a fresh, fearless new take on the Man of Steel. Consider the dad vibes officially upgraded.