Superman Secretly Breaks An Incredible James Gunn Record

One of James Gunn’s frequent collaborators just broke a wild new record in 2025’s Superman that could have easily fallen under the radar. Gunn is a filmmaker well-known for working with repeat performers, with the likes of Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion, his brother Sean Gunn, and his wife Jennifer Holland, among others, having appeared in a wide variety of Gunn’s projects. All of these actors have roles in the rebooted DC Universe, but one other, who just took on a brilliant role in Superman, just beat them all to the top spot.

Superman marked the latest collaboration between writer and director James Gunn and performer Stephen Blackehart, as the star portrayed Lex Luthor’s (Nicholas Hoult) lead scientist, Sydney Happersen. Gunn and Blackehart have worked on many previous projects, over 20 altogether, including 15 that Gunn has cast Blackehart in, written, produced, and/or directed. This means that Blackehart has become the most frequent collaborator to James Gunn, as both Michael Rooker and Sean Gunn have been directed by Gunn in ten projects, while Fillion has appeared in eight, and Mikaela Hoover, who plays Cat Grant in Superman, has appeared in six.

James Gunn and Stephen Blackehart first worked together in 1996 on Tromeo and Juliet, Gunn’s first feature film which he wrote and worked as an assistant director alongside Lloyd Kaufman (The New Corners, The Toxic Avenger). A loose adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Blackheart’s Benny Que was inspired by Romeo’s cousin, Benvolio, from the original stage play. This role put Blackehart on the map, and started a lifelong career of collaboration between him and Gunn.

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Gunn and Blackehart have also acted together in projects including Tromeo and Juliet, 2003’s The Ghouls, LolliLove, Super, and the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It seems very likely that Blackehart’s collaborative friendship with Gunn will continue as the rebooted DCU grows, and it’s possible that Sydney Happersen could become a regular face in the franchise. Happersen has been Lex Luthor’s top scientist and assistant since his DC Comics debut in 1987’s Superman (Vol. 2) #2, and he served the supervillain loyally for year, so the same could take place in the live-action DCU.

Superman was the first feature film released as part of the new DCU, following on from the animated Creature Commandos series that hit HBO Max last year. The franchise will be expanding with the upcoming releases of Peacemaker season 2, Supergirl, Lanterns, Clayface, and more. This presents many opportunities for Lex Luthor and his lackeys to return, which could bring Stephen Blackehart back to the DCU to continue his long-running collaborative streak with James Gunn.

Do you want to see Stephen Blackehart’s Sydney Happersen return to the DCU? Let us know in the comments!