Sony Pictures has released a brand new clip fromBrightBurn. Last year, we got word thatGuardians of the Galaxydirector James Gunn was producing a very mysterious horror movie of sorts. Eventually, we found out this little project of his is actually a horrific take on a Superman-esque character that essentially asks, what if Superman was evil instead of good? This clip on its own is enough to make anyone wonder just how bad such a situation could get, and it’s not for the squeamish.
The clip sees the kid in question who is clearly discovering that he actually has some powers that people don’t have. We see an overturned lawnmower, blades still running at full speed. The kid slowly approaches the lawnmower and, without any dialogue, it’s clear what he’s thinking; “what happens if I put my hand in it?” Not to spoil it, but there are surely plenty of people who are going to watch this clip and be shouting at the screen as it unfolds. Safe to say, it’s unsettling. This is the alternate reality with a super person in it that nobody would ever want to live in.
While Sony can’t refer to this character in any way as Superman or tie this into the DC universe, it’s very clear that the pitch for this movie was “Superman, but bad.” In an age where superhero movies dominate the landscape, this seems like a fascinating way to approach the genre from a unique angle. The DC universe is lucky Superman is a force for good. It would be so easy for him not to be. This is the other side of the coin. James Gunn has dipped his toe in both horror and comic book movies, as he’s behind movies such asDawn of the DeadandSlither, as well as theGuardiansmovies for Marvel. He feels like the right guy to help make something like this a reality.
James Gunnis merely producing. It’s a credit to the project, no doubt, but there are other people shouldering the creative responsibility here. David Yarovesky (The Hive) is the one who actually sat in the director’s chair for this one. Brian and Mark Gunn, James' brother and cousin, penned the screenplay. The cast includes David Denman (Power Rangers,The Office), Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect,The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part), Jackson A. Dunn (Shameless,Glow), Matt Jones (Mom,Home) and Meredith Hagner (Set it Up,Younger).
This is coming out in a crowded summer that not only features other superhero movies such asSpider-Man: Far From HomeandDark Phoenix, but one that also features a slew of other horror movies such as theChild’s Playremake,Annabelle Comes HomeandCrawl. Will this be able to compete? We’ll know soon enough.Brightburnis set to hit theaters on May 24. Be sure to check out the new clip from the Sony Pictures Entertainment YouTube channel below.
