While test audiences may have had questions aboutSuperman’stitular superhero performing an unexpected wildlife rescue, the DC movie’s co-composer has offered his insight into the hotly contested moment. During a recent interview followingSuperman’srelease, James Gunn revealed that some test audiences had taken issue with David Corenswet’sSuperman saving a squirrelwhile fighting a rampaging Kaiju.
Nonetheless, Gunn decided to keep the moment in his movie’s final edit, despite the feedback he had received and additional protests from some of his crew. Since then, the pivotal moment has become a major focus of online discussion and has even spawned a slew of memes and other viral content.
Speaking withScreenRant,Supermanco-composer David Fleming offered his thoughts on the ongoing debateover Superman saving a squirrel. Suggesting that he was “kind of delighted”with fan reactions to the moment, Fleming revealed thathe had scored versions of the scene both with and without the squirrel. Check out his comments below:
I’m kind of delighted that people are getting so upset about a squirrel. It’s so funny. That was one of the first scenes I did, and I believe that I scored a version without the squirrel and a version with the squirrel.
Ultimately, however, Fleming revealed that he is fond of the moment and explained howSuperman’s actions are true to his character.He also suggested they were a perfect counterpoint to the more callous and careless actions of the Justice Gang. Check out his final comments below:
I kind of think the squirrel’s great. To go back to the Justice Gang being a great foil for Superman, the fun of the scene is how haphazard they are versus him trying to ensure everyone is safe all the time, which is a real hallmark of his character and at the core of the creation of the character.
So, I think that was the fun dynamic that James is playing with there, and it was a lot of fun to have him be that babyfaced superhero character and there’s a lot of collateral damage when [the Justice Gang] comes around. They tend to make a big mess.
What David Fleming’s Comments Mean For Superman’s Squirrel Debate
Over the years, DC’s Superman has been reimagined and recontextualized countless times. While the character’s previous big-screen iteration had largely centered on depicting the Last Son of Krypton as a god-like being attempting to find his place among mortals,Gunn’s version intentionally leans into the strength of his humanity, and his concern for all living creatures.
Much as Fleming suggests, Superman’s insistence on saving even the smallest of animalsharkens back to some of his more classic character traitsand highlights his desire to protect all living beings. Mere moments after rescuing the squirrel, Corenswet’s Superman even lamentsthe Justice Gang’s decisionto kill the Kaiju they had been battling.
Our Take On Superman’s Squirrel Rescue
While Fleming’s most recent comments may not sway some of the moment’s more vocal critics, the revelation that he had been required to score two alternate versions of the scene, one with and without the squirrel, suggests thatGunn had initially taken the test audience feedback seriously.
Ultimately, however, Gunn opted to keepSuperman’ssquirrel rescue in, and for many, the all-too-brief moment has since become symbolic of his irrepressibly optimistic take on the world’s best-known superhero. In a comic book universe already filled to bursting withmetahumans parading as heroesand villains, it is Superman’s boundless empathy that truly sets him apart from his many contemporaries.
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Superman (2025): Superman follows the dual life of Clark Kent, a journalist in Metropolis, as he endeavors to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Set against a backdrop of personal discovery, the film explores his journey of identity as he navigates his existence in a complex world.
