'Superman': James Gunn reveals he cut violent execution scene
James Gunn's Superman, starring David Corenswet as Superman and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, is out in theaters now.
The film almost included a graphic execution scene with Luthor, but Gunn decided to cut it for being too violent.
More on the dropped scene
After Superman surrenders to save his dog Krypto, he's captured by LuthorCorp's PlanetWatch.
In the dropped scene, Luthor executes Malik Ali—a civilian who helped Superman—with graphic detail and blood shown on screen.
Gunn explained on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that this level of gore just didn't fit the movie.
How the moment was handled in the final cut
A distant wide shot of the execution still made it into the final film.
This choice kept Luthor looking threatening without overshadowing the story's emotional side.
The moment ends with Luthor quietly telling Superman, "I'll see you tomorrow," adding tension while keeping things balanced.