James Gunn's Superman Recruited A Major Marvel Star To Play Jor-El

This post contains spoilers for "Superman."

In the history of "Superman" movies, perhaps the only role to hold a weight similar to that of The Last Son of Krypton is the father who sent him away to begin with. Problematic as he was, Marlon Brando set the bar with his turn in Richard Donner's 1978 classic "Superman: The Movie" as the Kryptonian whistleblower Jor-El, who warned his home planet of its doom.

It would be 35 years before the character was brought to life on the big screen again, only this time with Russell Crowe (himself, coincidentally, the idol of then-Superman actor Henry Cavill) playing the part in Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel," and he did an okay job of it, too. However, with writer and director James Gunn making it clear early on that his take on Metropolis' protector wouldn't waste time with an origin story, it seemed fair to assume Jor-El wouldn't be showing up in any form in 2025's "Superman."

Surprisingly, though, the father of Kal-El does turn up via the obligatory archived message that Jor-El left for his son in his shuttle, and he's played by none other than Rocket Raccoon himself, Bradley Cooper. Rocking the obligatory beard and white robes alongside Angela Sarafyan as Superman's mother Lara, the "Guardians of the Galaxy" trilogy actor puts a brand new and interesting spin on Supe's old man. Indeed, Gunn makes Kal-El's Kryptonian parents an intriguing pair in general, if not necessarily for the right reasons.

Cooper's Jor-El has a similar look to those who came before him, but with one crucial difference: Unlike Brando and Crowe's iterations, Cooper's version actually speaks Kryptonian, with Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) even going to great lengths to translate his message when he obtains it. This isn't some extra bit of flair from Gunn's new take on the Man of Tomorrow, either. It's canon to the DC Comics universe that the citizens of the once-thriving world of Krypton didn't speak English, unlike the Kryptonians seen in live-action Superman movies past. Batman even learns a bit of Kryptonian (of course) before his initial encounter with Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, in the comics. (Milly Alcock, notably, is playing Supergirl in Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe).

The language barrier is also key to Gunn's Superman story, given it's eventually revealed the final section of Jor-El's message shows he intended to send his son to Earth in the hopes of taking over the planet, "Invincible"-style. It's a significant departure from the previous iterations of the character we've seen in movies and shows over the years and something that's, admittedly, skimmed over a little too quickly here, considering it's such a massive twist on the classic Superman lore. Be that as it may, it begs the question: Given the star power backing this particularly noteworthy member of Superman's family tree, is it possible Cooper's Jor-El will pop up further down the line ... and if so, will he have to answer for his crimes from beyond the grave?

Deaths in comic books are as common as costume changes, but that doesn't mean they always stick. Sure, Jor-El has been predominantly absent from the land of the living over the years, but there was a recent development in the comics that saw him traveling forward in time to meet his son and grandson, Jonathan Kent, before being sent back to meet his fate.

In the case of Cooper's Jor-El, though, it'd be easy to assume that, now that Kal-El has abandoned his heritage and the objective he was originally given after leaving Krypton, that he has also severed all ties with his biological parents (and rightfully so). Nevertheless, this is Oscar nominee and A-lister Bradley Cooper we're talking about. That's to say, it would be interesting to see him perhaps return to his role in future Superman-focused DCU adventures as an advanced AI of sorts. This would also allow him to better explain his initial intentions and teach his son more about the history of Krypton (which Kal-El now believes to be gone).

It's also worth considering that, given how little most moviegoers know about Kara/Supergirl's origin story, her own escape from Krypton might be highlighted in the upcoming Alcock-led "Supergirl" movie. Thus, the film could potentially include a flashback of Jor-El warning his younger brother, Zor-El (Kara's father), about the danger they face. For the time being, though, Cooper's cameo works simply on its own. Still, don't be surprised if the actor's Super-dad makes some kind of return in whatever adventure his son goes on next.

"Superman" is now playing in theaters.