While filming James Gunn's Superman reboot, one unexpected detail slipped through the cracks: an improvised character name that made it into the final cut and preserved one of the ending's sincerest moments. In a recent interview with The Direct, one of the film's stars revealed that the name wasn't in the original script and was actually improvised on the spot during production. Superman crossed over $500 million worldwide at the box office and is well-received for its humor, heart, and, of course, talking robots.
At San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2025, The Direct spoke with actor Alan Tudyk during a roundtable press for his Syfy series Resident Alien. While promoting the fourth season of that series, Tudyk was asked about his role as Robot Four in Gunn's new Superman. The voice actor is busy in the new DCU, taking on a total of four characters thus far.
To the group's delight, the actor was happy to talk about his time on the project, including one notable ad-lib on set.
Tudyk brings a leading presence to Robot Four in the Fortress of Solitude, one of several mechanical assistants created by the Man of Steel himself. But as Tudyk recently told The Direct, the robot's eventual name, "Gary," wasn't in the script at all. In fact, when asked, he confirmed that it was improvised on set, "I did!" He didn't even realize it had made the final cut until after the film premiered.
Tudyk explained that while his character was originally just referred to as "Four," he wanted something with a little more personality:
"I did... It was like, 'Why am I Four?' And it's a funny reason why he's Four. It's that Superman was making robots. The first one is kind of bad, so he perfected it into a two, still not so good. And it wasn't till Four that he's like, 'Okay, this is the leader, this is the one.'"
Tudyk said that he "really would like a name" and casually brought up the idea of giving Robot Four a proper identity during a conversation on set. His scene partner, David Corenswet, was immediately on board with the suggestion. With support from the lead actor, Tudyk pitched the idea directly to Gunn, "What about Gary?"
"But I was like, 'I really would like a name.' And David, Superman, Corenswet, was like, 'Yeah! You should totally have a name.' So I said, 'What about Gary?' And James, like, 'I don't know... Okay, I guess. Let's shoot it.'"
What started as a spontaneous line sparked a surprising amount of behind-the-scenes discussion. Gunn told Tudyk at the premiere, "You won't believe how many meetings we had about that name."
Tudyk remarked on how happy he was that the line stayed in the film, explaining how much Robot Four/Gary meant to Superman, "He cares about it, so we care about it as an audience:"
"And we shot it, and I thanked him at the premiere, and he said, 'You won't believe how many meetings we had about that name.'
He said, 'We went back and forth and back and forth about whether or not that was a time for a joke... should we just be all heart at the end?'
And luckily, they put it in because I think it was a heartfelt joke... He (Superman) loves that robot. That's one of the reasons why the robot's so likable. It's because Superman loves him. He cares about it, so we care about it as an audience."
Had Gunn cut out Robot Four's new name, this would have led to the removal of a key heartfelt moment at the end of Superman where Clark affectionately calls the robot "Gary."
Ironically, Tudyk had completely missed Superman's acknowledgment of Gary's self-given title: "I missed it, and Nathan Fillion told me:"
"I didn't either, and I was there the day when he filmed it, and I remember him saying it, but I missed it, and Nathan Fillion told me."
The addition of Robot Four wanting a name had a great level of sentimentality at the end of the film that many fans appreciated. It also deepened Superman's humanity by going along with the machine's desire to feel more human, just like Supes.
This was also another fun adaptation from the comics, as Gary is somewhat of an original character, unlike Kelex, who many people thought the robot was based on early footage.
Superman has soared to success with both critics and audiences, marking a strong start for Gunn's new DCU. As writer and director, Gunn has been praised for his hopeful, heartfelt take on the iconic hero, striking a careful balance between classic ideals and modern storytelling. Corenswet delivers a grounded, earnest performance as Superman, with standout turns from Rachel Brosnahan as a sharp, fearless Lois Lane and a chilling Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) portrayal that's left fans buzzing for more. But the film’s charm extends well beyond its leads; supporting characters like Mr. Terrific, Krypto, and the squad of Superman Robots (especially Gary) earned fan-favorite status.
The Future of Alan Tudyk in the DCU
Alan Tudyk has quickly become one of Gunn's rebooted universe's most versatile and frequently used performers. In Creature Commandos, he lent his voice to a range of characters, including Doctor Phosphorus, a new take on Clayface, and a few others.
Tudyk is currently the only actor to have played this many distinct characters in the DCU so far, a testament to both his range and Gunn's trust in his talents. He'll be returning as at least Doctor Phosphorus in Creature Commandos Season 2, ensuring his continued presence in the animated corner of the universe.
While Mike Flanagan's upcoming Clayface movie takes the character in a different direction with a new lead actor, Tudyk expressed interest in reprising Doctor Phosphorus in live-action if the opportunity arises.
As for Gary, audiences haven't seen the last of him. If the Fortress of Solitude is expected to become a recurring location in future DC films, Tudyk's loyal robot could easily return in the next installment, which Gunn calls not a "straight up sequel" to Superman.
