DC Studios reportedly cast the perfect actor to play Jor-El for James Gunn in his upcoming Superman movie. Mere weeks ahead of Superman's release in theaters, reports are still teasing who will join David Corenswet for DC Studios' first new theatrical release. While the core cast of Earth-based characters has been known for some time, fans now have an idea of who will fill out a few of the extraterrestrial personnel on the cast list.
Bradley Cooper and Angela Sarafyan were reportedly cast as Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, Superman's parents, in James Gunn's solo Superman movie. While over half a dozen major stars are in line to take most of the spotlight for the Man of Steel's first solo film since 2013, Cooper and Sarafyan will bring their own level of star power to embody Superman's father and mother.
The report comes from Omelete (translated from Portuguese), indicating that Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van will appear in the first few minutes of Superman, when he is healed in the Fortress of Solitude. In that scene, his robotic assistants will play a message from his parents in Kryptonian to help comfort him after getting injured.
Sarafyan is best known for her work in The Immigrant, Westworld, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2. Along with his acclaimed work in A Star Is Born and American Sniper, Cooper is recognized for his time in eight MCU projects (including the entire Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy) as Rocket Raccoon. This also marks the second role for Cooper in Superman, as he will voice one of the robots seen in the Fortress of Solitude alongside Alan Tudyk and Guardians stars Pom Klementieff and Michael Rooker.
Superman will be the first theatrical movie in James Gunn's DC Universe, starring David Corenswet as Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Picking up a few years into Clark Kent's run as the Man of Steel, he will be working to navigate his life as a Daily Planet reporter and a superhero as he encounters multiple dangerous antagonists threatening the safety of his adopted home planet. Superman will debut in theaters on Friday, July 11.
Why Jor-El & Lara Lor-Vann Castings Are Perfect for James Gunn's Superman
Looking at Bradley Cooper's experience with James Gunn, the two have consistently put forth great work with one another, particularly with Rocket's heartwrenching material in 2023's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Making Rocket a fan-favorite in the MCU, fans are already eagerly waiting to find out what Cooper and Gunn will do on the DC side of the comic book movie world.
Unfortunately, due to Jor-El and Lara Lor-Vann likely being dead long before the events of Superman take place, the two should only be expected to play minor roles in this movie and across the DCU. However, considering how Gunn is making sure to highlight Clark Kent's supporting cast more than past Superman films have, they could still have plenty of emotional moments as they support their son digitally.
Moving forward, Cooper and Sarafyan should have at least a few opportunities to give memorable performances as Superman's parents, particularly opposite Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell as they portray Jonathan and Martha Kent.
Following the aforementioned first scene mentioned in the report, fans will be on the lookout to see how big of an impact both sets of parents will have on the rest of the movie as Clark Kent becomes the hero he's meant to be.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
