James Gunn comparing himself to Superman isn’t going to endear him to his harshest critics

Based solely on the fact he isn’t Zack Snyder, there’s an awful lot of people out there who simply refuse to sanction the idea of Superman: Legacy.

As the co-CEO of DC Studios, the filmmaker and executive is free to do whatever he wants with the franchise however he sees fit, and as a lifelong fan of the Man of Steel, the character has resonated deeply with him on a personal level. Snyder came under fire from some quarters for failing to understand the essence of what made Superman who he was, but that might not be so much of an issue for Gunn.

In fact, in words that aren’t going to endear him to his most vocal of detractors, the Guardians of the Galaxy architect even went so far as to compare himself to the Big Blue Boy Scout in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“I completely relate to Superman because he’s everything I am. He’s somebody who is an outsider who feels like an alien, but also the ultimate insider, because he’s fucking Superman. And that’s kind of like what I feel like.”

While it’s easy to understand the point he’s making, you can bet it won’t be construed that way be the deep, dark corner of the internet that loves nothing more than to tear down Gunn at any opportunity. For all we know, Superman: Legacy could turn out to be the best live-action blockbuster starring the DC icon we’ve ever seen, but even if it isn’t, we can safely say it won’t be the worst given that Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is a thing that exists.