What's The Song At The End Of James Gunn's Superman?

"Superman" has a lot in common with James Gunn's other films. Yes, it's a comic book movie, which has sort of become his genre (and will be for the foreseeable future, given his role as the head of DC Studios), but it's more than that. The tone, aesthetic, and narrative sensibilities all feel familiar if you're well-versed in his past work. And of course, one of the most obvious marks of a Gunn film at this point is the strategic use of a licensed soundtrack to underscore certain moments.

That stays true in "Superman," which plays "5 Years Time" by Noah and the Whale as Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) dismantles a LuthorCorp military camp. At the end of the film, and leading into the credits, we get another licensed track: Swedish band Teddybears' "Punkrocker," featuring Iggy Pop.

The song choice nods to an earlier exchange in the movie, where Clark (David Corenswet) tries to convince Lois (Rachel Brosnahan) that he's "punk rock." When his claim is swiftly and laughingly dismissed, he digs into his "born to a be a dad" toolkit and hits her with the classic, "Maybe kindness is the new punk rock."

In the end, of course, Superman saves the day, and he doesn't have to give up his kindness to do it. And then, in the film's goofy post-credits scene, we're reminded once again what a lil' dork Clark is. A hero? For sure. A punk rocker? Absolutely not.

Gunn has built up a pretty impressive roster of big moments across his filmography tied to various licensed songs. There's the famous opening of "Guardians of the Galaxy" set to Redbone's "Come and Get Your Love," and the more action-packed sequel sequence in "Vol. 2," which is anchored by ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky." "The Suicide Squad" is arguably overloaded with these sorts of moments, though none of them stuck in the culture the way the "Guardians" ones have.

For my money, the apex of Gunn's needle-drop moments comes at the end of "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," when the entirety of "Dog Days Are Over" plays over a tender closing montage, in which all of the characters let loose and dance off all the emotional baggage they've been holding onto throughout the trilogy. It's a beautiful moment that changes up the genre on the usual "Guardians" licensed soundtrack, and it gives the MCU hit a blip of something that the franchise has often lacked: closure.

Will the use of "Punkrocker" in "Superman" stand up to those all-timer scenes? Likely not. I think we'd already know by now if it were going to have that kind of staying power. But it's still a fun choice, and great burst of positive energy to send the film out on.

"Superman" is in theaters nationwide.