Latest news with #BradleyCooper
Pink Villa
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Bradley Cooper's Surprise Cameo in James Gunn's Superman Has a Special Marlon Brando Connection, Director Reveals
James Gunn's Superman is one of the most talked-about films of recent times. While David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan's chemistry on screen is heavily praised, another actor who took the audience by surprise is Bradley Cooper. The actor's cameo in the film was unexpected, yet impactful, giving the storyline the depth that it required. The Maestro star played the role of Jor-El, the father of Superman, in the superhero film and makes an appearance right at the beginning of the movie. The character was initially played by Marlon Brando in the original Superman, which was released in 1978. James Gunn talks about Bradley Cooper's surprising cameo in Superman While sitting down for an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the director and the co-head of DC revealed that he brought in Bradley Cooper by keeping Marlon Brando's character in mind. James Gunn said, 'I needed somebody who could play Jor-El, who had the stature of what we imagine that character to be.' He further explained, 'Somebody that could walk in the footsteps of Marlon Brando.' Gunn and Cooper have a long-standing working relationship. The duo previously worked together in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, wherein the actor lent his voice for Rocket Raccoon. During his appearance on the recent episode of Jake's Takes, the filmmaker shared that his bond with the Oscar-nominated actor strengthened during the filming of the Marvel movies, and that made it easier for Gunn to approach Cooper for a cameo in Superman. The director said, 'We've stayed in close contact since the 'Guardians' movies, and I admire him greatly as an actor and as a director.' He continued to reveal, 'Hey, will you do me a favor? Come down, go to England, we're going to shoot you in a 3D environment, make a hologram of you, and you can play Jor-El.' As for the film, it revolves around Superman, who faces struggles in his personal life as well as at work. He gets questioned for his actions, and amid the conflicts, a tech billionaire, Lex Luthor, gets an opportunity to get the Man of Steel out of his way for good. Superman is running successfully in theaters.
Geek Tyrant
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
James Gunn Cast Bradley Cooper as Jor-El in SUPERMAN to Echo Marlon Brando — GeekTyrant
James Gunn's Superman is full of surprises, but one of the most unexpected reveals comes in the form of Guardians of the Galaxy alum Bradley Cooper stepping into the role of Jor-El, Superman's Kryptonian father, originally immortalized by Marlon Brando. Gunn explained why he ultimately cast Cooper in the role, telling Entertainment Tonight. 'I needed somebody who could play Jor-El… who had the stature of what we imagine that character being. Somebody who could walk in the footsteps of Marlon Brando.' That's no small ask, but Cooper was apparently up for the challenge, thanks in part to his long-time friendship with Gunn. The filmmaker added: 'A lot of times, Jor-El is played by a 70 year old man, and that means he was 70 when he had a baby. So I wanted somebody that wasn't too old… So I think that Bradley was perfect, he did it for me as a favor because he's my friend, and I really appreciate him doing it.' What makes this version of Jor-El especially interesting is the twist on his character's intentions. Yes, he still appears as a hologram in the Fortress of Solitude. But this time, the message he sends with baby Kal-El isn't just a heartfelt goodbye, it's a chilling instruction to conquer Earth. That little bombshell added a whole new layer of tension as Clark wrestles with his identity and place in the world. Fortunately, David Corenswet's Superman worked through his emotions and wasn't interested in playing galactic dictator, no matter what his space dad said. Even as Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) launches a propaganda campaign against him, the Man of Steel is more interested in protecting Earth than ruling it.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
James Gunn Got Bradley Cooper for ‘Superman' Cameo Because He Needed ‘Somebody That Could Walk In the Footsteps of Marlon Brando'
SPOILER ALERT: This article contains minor spoilers for 'Superman,' in theaters now. James Gunn has high praise for Bradley Cooper, which is why he needed him for a very important cameo in 'Superman.' More from Variety James Gunn Says He's 'Incredibly Grateful' For Successful Opening of 'Superman': 'A Hopeful Testament to the Kindness and Quality of Human Beings' David Zaslav Champions New DC Universe and 'Bold 10-Year Plan' After 'Superman' Box Office Victory: 'The Vision Is Clear. The Momentum Is Real' Box Office: 'Superman' Flies to $217 Globally, 'Jurassic World Rebirth' Crosses $500 Million, 'Lilo & Stitch' Hits $994 Million In the opening moments of the DC tentpole, Cooper appears as Jor-El, the father of Superman. The role was first brought to the big screen by legendary actor Marlon Brando in the original 1978 'Superman.' During a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight, Gunn said he cast Cooper with Brando's performance in mind, knowing he could keep with the foremost portrayal of Jor-El. 'I needed somebody who could play Jor-El, who had the stature of what we imagine that character to be,' Gunn explained. 'Somebody that could walk in the footsteps of Marlon Brando.' Gunn previously collaborated with Cooper on the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' trilogy, in which the 'Silver Linings Playbook' star played Rocket Raccoon. The director said on an episode of 'Jake's Takes' that the relationship he formed with Cooper during those films made it easy to lock him in for 'Superman.' 'He's a friend,' Gunn said. 'We've stayed in close contact since the 'Guardians' movies, and I admire him greatly as an actor and as a director.' Gunn added that he called Cooper and asked, 'Hey, will you do me a favor? Come down, go to England, we're going to shoot you in a 3D environment, make a hologram of you, and you can play Jor-El.' David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult lead the cast of Gunn's 'Superman' as the titular Man of Steel and the villainous Lex Luthor, respectively. Other cast members include Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen), Anthony Carrigan (Metamorpho), Edi Gathegi (Mister Terrific), Nathan Fillon (Guy Gardner) and Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl). Best of Variety Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples Oscars 2026: George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts, Wagner Moura and More Among Early Contenders to Watch New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
Why James Gunn Wanted a Younger Jor-El In ‘Superman'
The role Superman's parents play in his life has always differed across years of comic book reshuffling and myriad adaptations. But in our latest crack at the Kryptonian whip in James Gunn's Superman, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van play a brief, but fundamental role in the movie. Casting the role for Gunn was crucial, not just because of the character's legacy—but because he wanted to buck a trend from other live-action Superman Superman Jor-El and Lara are played by the voice of Rocket Raccoon himself, Bradley Cooper, and Westworld's Angela Sarafyan, respectively—appearing briefly in a recorded message sent with Kal-El when he was evacuated from Krypton. The message is short, but key to the core of the film, and when casting Cooper in particular, Gunn wanted to convey the same kind of legacy prior live-action incarnations of the character had. 'Well, Bradley's a friend of mine, and I needed somebody who could play Jor-El,' Gunn told Deadline of the casting decision. 'And I don't think this is a spoiler, everybody knows about this, [but I wanted someone] who had the stature of what we imagine that character being, somebody who could walk in the footsteps of Marlon Brando.' But while that similar gravitas was key for the Jor-El of 2025, one thing wasn't for Gunn: the older age that has been traditionally given to the character in adaptation. 'A lot of times, Jor-El is played by a 70-year-old man and that means he was 70 when he had a baby, so I wanted somebody that wasn't too old,' Gunn explained. 'Everyone was bringing up all these actors that were too old for me. I think Bradley was perfect. He did it for me as a favor because he's my friend, and I really appreciated him doing it.' Cooper, a spry 50 by human and Kryptonian standards, isn't actually that much younger than several of the actors to play the character in live-action, however. Russell Crowe was 49 when he played Jor-El in 2013's Man of Steel, and although Terrence Stamp voiced the character in Smallville, he was physically portrayed in the show's 9th and 10th seasons by Julian Sands, who was in his early 50s at the time of production. Superman is now in theaters. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
James Gunn reveals why he cast ‘friend' Bradley Cooper in Superman
James Gunn cast Bradley Cooper as Superman 's father, Jor-El, in the new film, stating he needed an actor with the character's "stature" who was not too old. Gunn explained that he sought someone who could follow in the footsteps of Marlon Brando, who played Jor-El in the 1978 film, and noted Cooper, 'a friend', did it as a favour. The new Superman film features David Corenswet as the titular hero, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as the villainous Lex Luthor. The Independent's Clarisse Loughrey gave the film a four-star review, suggesting it would "make you believe in superhero movies again." The film achieved a global opening weekend total of $217m, surpassing initial projections and becoming the second biggest domestic earner of 2025 on its opening day.
