16-07-2025
Is New 'Superman' Movie Anti-Israel? What to Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Superman, the new blockbuster from DC has made a box office splash. However, political figures from the right and left have quickly taken to social media in a bid to read into the meaning behind the film, namely, whether it is about the war in Gaza.
Newsweek has reached out to DC via email for comment. This article includes some spoilers as to the plot of the film.
Why It Matters
The current conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on Israel in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. Israel retaliated and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to eradicate Hamas.
People cross the street near billboards advertising the new "Superman" film in Times Square in New York City on July 9, 2025.
People cross the street near billboards advertising the new "Superman" film in Times Square in New York City on July 9, 2025.
CraigThe Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza reports that as of July 16, at least 58,573 people have been killed in Gaza, and a further 139,607 people injured. There is a widespread humanitarian crisis in the territory, with nearly all of the population having been displaced, according to the U.N.
What To Know
Superman, directed by James Gunn, was released on July 11 and rebooted the Superman franchise. The film marks Gunn's first entry into the DC Universe but he is known for his work on the Marvel film, Guardians of the Galaxy and began work on Superman in 2022.
His latest film has exceeded box office and critical expectations, officially hitting $217 million following its first weekend in cinemas Variety reported. As of press time, it has an 83 percent Tomatometer score and a 93 percent Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Viewers of the film have drawn parallels between it's content and the war between Israel and Gaza. This has been applauded and condemned online in equal measure.
"I saw the new Superman film last night. Tell me why it is as anti-Israel as people were making it out to be," the TikTok creator @blondebirchtree said in a video that has been viewed over 193,000 times.
"All week people on Twitter have been saying it's explicitly anti-Israel... Without a doubt that is the most pro-Palestine I have seen a mainstream film ever be," @blondebirchtree continued in the video.
A further video from this creator has the text overlay "they weren't lying about the new superman film being anti Israel," and has been viewed 3.7 million times as of reporting.
"It's pretty clearly supposed to be Israel and Palestine," the TikTok creator @Coleleightonfilm said in a video viewed over 20,000 times on the platform.
The parallel has also been drawn by popular left-wing Twitch steamer and social media personality, Hasan Piker, who uploaded a video to YouTube titled: "Superman just EXPOSED Israel On The Big Screen." Piker refers to Israel, as well as Netanyahu as the film's major plot point, and says: "If you think this movie pulls punches from criticizing Israel, it does not."
One Reddit user, posting to the thread r/Jewish wrote that it is: "Sad to see Superman (2025) being used as anti-Israel propaganda." There have been calls on social media to boycott the film.
The film's plot includes Superman stopping an invasion by the fictional country of Boravia, an ally of the U.S. However, the film isn't about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, according to Gunn. He told "When I wrote this the Middle Eastern conflict wasn't happening. So I tried to do little things to move it away from that, but it doesn't have anything to do with the Middle East."
The film has political undertones, and it may be the case that social media users are mapping these undertones onto the conflict.
Gunn told The Sunday Times earlier this month that the story is about: "An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country."
What People Are Saying
James Gunn, the director of Superman speaking to The Sunday Times: "For me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and something we have lost…Yes, it plays differently, but it's about human kindness and obviously there will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness. But screw them."
Hasan Piker, popular left-wing Twitch steamer and social media personality speaking in a video shared to YouTube: "It's very clearly Israel Palestine."
One social media user wrote on X in a post viewed 4.5 million times: "yall were not kidding about how anti-israel and pro palestine that superman movie was, and they were not slick with it AT ALL."
What's Next
The film was released less than a week ago, so reactions may well continue to build on social media over time.
