James Gunn Promises Superman Movie Songs Won’t Distract From the Score

James Gunn promises that the music in Superman won’t be a distraction. The director set his Guardians of the Galaxy apart from the rest of the MCU with a nostalgic soundtrack, but he didn’t try to mimic that strategy on Superman. During a set visit, he told ComicBook and other outlets about the music in the DCU’s Superman. The teaser for Superman includes a cover of the theme from John Williams’ score for the 1978 movie, so reporters asked Gunn about that choice — and about his approach to music in this movie in general.

“There’s nods to Williams, and then also John Murphy’s created this incredibly beautiful score,” Gunn explained. “But the one thing is, it is a score — it’s not a soundtrack. So, it’s not about the songs. There’s a few songs in it, and of course I chose those songs beforehand, but it isn’t like any of my previous movies, really … The score is what drives it. It’s a much, much more of a score film.”

That may come as a relief to fans, though perhaps not a surprise. The soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy was a very specific choice for that movie, playing into the plot since Peter Quill’s Walkman was one of his few treasured possessions from back on earth. An approach like that wouldn’t work as naturally for Superman, and Gunn has the experience to know it.

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Gunn did use some popular songs in his 2021 movie The Suicide Squad, though not as many as in Guardians of the Galaxy, and not as a central component. He also worked with composer John Murphy on that movie for a score that overshadows the soundtrack. Murphy was the composer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and is now following Gunn into the DCU with Superman.

Superman stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. It will also introduce Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Green Lanter, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. It will be the first film in the new DCU continuity, and the first live-action production. Gunn is the co-CEO of DC Studios along with Peter Safran, putting a lot of pressure on him as the writer and producer of this inaugural movie.

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025. The DCU’s first show, Creature Commandos, is streaming now on Max.