James Gunn’s Superman movie is partly inspired by an emotional DC comic book panel – and while there’s plenty of excitement, The Boys fans are all making the same Homelander joke.
It’s no secret that James Gunn has got his work cut out for him. In November 2022, it was announced that the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker was tapped to lead DC’s future movie, TV, and animation endeavors, sharing the role with Aquaman producer Peter Safran.
Given the DCEU has been a bit of a mess in recent years, they’ve got a mighty job on their hands. But there’s a lot of hope for Gunn’s Superman, which will serve as the entry point in his revamped DC Universe.
This week, it was revealed that the 2025 movie is partly inspired by a classic panel from the Man of Steel comics. If you’re a fan of The Boys, you’ll know that the satirical superhero series already told this story with a sinister spin. Warning: Some may find this content distressing.
The Boys fans troll James Gunn’s Superman with Homelander joke
James Gunn has shared a series of inspirations for his Superman movie, one of which is the iconic panel in which Kal-El saves a suicidal teen from taking her own life. Amid the praise, there are plenty of jokes from The Boys fans saying “Homelander could never.”
To refresh your memory, in The Boys Season 3 Episode 2, Homelander (who is basically evil Superman) is involved in a parody of this exact panel. In the scene, Homelander – on his “annual birthday save” – approaches a young woman named Chelsea who’s considering jumping off a roof.
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Of course, it’s a PR stunt – it’s not even Homelander’s real birthday. He gives a half-hearted speech to try and stop Chelsea from killing herself, but his indifference turns to rage when he sees a news report stating that his former lover Stormfront has died by suicide.
Following a bitter rant, he says: “How is it fair that you get saved while a beautiful, perfect god gets killed? You know what, Chelsea? I think you should jump.” At this point, she’s changed her mind, but Homelander tells her he’s “not suggesting anymore.” Shortly after, in front of the cameras, Chelsea falls to her death.
Homelander could never pic.twitter.com/kGFfkacRvJ
— Lachesis (@LachesisHD) March 6, 2024
It’s a brutal and sinister take on the Superman story, with the original panel embodying everything good the Man of Steel stands for. Amid the news that the OG version has contributed to Superman, one person wrote on X,” Homelander should read this,” while another quipped, “Homelander did it better.”
“Homelander could never,” added a third while sharing a clip of The Boys’ scene in question. And a fourth chimed in: “And then there’s Homelander.”
James Gunn’s Superman drops in cinemas on July 11, 2025, while The Boys Season 4 premieres on Prime Video on June 13, 2024. Check out everything we know about Superman here, and everything we know about The Boys Season 4 here.