Watan-In a detailed report, Middle East Eye highlighted the intense global reactions to James Gunn’s new Superman film, calling it one of the most politically charged superhero movies in recent years. The controversy centers on perceived symbolism related to Israel’s war on Gaza and America’s immigration policies.
Key Allegories and Audience Reactions
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The film features a fictional country named “Boravia”, portrayed as a U.S.-aligned military power accused of oppressing a besieged neighboring population — a plot many viewers interpret as a clear metaphor for Israel and Gaza.
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On Reddit, Israeli-supporting users expressed outrage:
“Superman was created by Jewish artists, and now he’s being used to promote anti-Israel propaganda. How was this allowed?”
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A viral post on X (Twitter) sarcastically noted:
“They’re mad that they instantly recognized themselves as the villains — without being named.”
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Political commentator Hasan Piker suggested the villain was modeled not just on Benjamin Netanyahu, but David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founding prime minister:“Two hours and ten minutes of: Screw Israel.”
“Palestine Kid protesting alone wearing Superman Cape” was the first thing which came into my mind while watching #SUPERMAN & director James Gunn makes a LOUD statement through this movie for humanity. pic.twitter.com/KFL44XF0EV
— SOLO47 🍉 (@Ameenx00) July 11, 2025
Immigration Angle
Many viewers also saw a strong pro-immigrant message in the film, reinforcing Superman’s own origin as an alien refugee raised in small-town America. The release coincides with an uptick in deportation raids by ICE across the U.S.
Israeli Official Reactions
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Israel’s consulate in Los Angeles appeared to respond with PR posts depicting Israeli soldiers as comic-book-style “real heroes”, using AI-enhanced visuals and slogans like “#RealHeroes”.
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Critics mocked these efforts as a state-backed campaign to counter the film’s impact, with one commenter noting:“Israel is so upset that Superman showed them as genocidal racists, they’ve launched an ad war.”
Filmmaker’s Response
Director James Gunn, while avoiding political declarations, wrote on social media:“I’m proud to tell a story where Superman’s humanity matters. He’s a good person who always cares about the vulnerable.”
He added that the film’s wide emotional resonance is a “hopeful sign of global compassion.”
Whether intentional or not, the Superman reboot has ignited a cultural and political firestorm, with supporters of Israel outraged by what they see as subtextual attacks, while Palestinian advocates hail it as a breakthrough in mainstream solidarity.
Would you like a full opinion piece, a timeline of film controversies, or a comparison to previous Hollywood portrayals of political conflict?
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