RUMOR: Superman's Jor El Is A Guardians Of The Galaxy Star

Summary

Jor-El appears as a cameo in Superman, played by Bradley Cooper.
Cooper’s casting follows Gunn’s trend of bringing MCU actors to DCU.
Jor-El’s potential recurring role in the DCU may extend to Supergirl.

Superman’s test screenings have naturally sprayed rumors and spoilers in its wake. But none are quite as surprising as the latest: the existence of the Man of Steel’s father, Jor-El, and the identity of the actor playing him.

While Superman is still four months away from release, the James Gunn film is currently at a crucial phase of its post-production run: test screenings. Word has been largely positive, and some have compared Superman‘s quality to the first Wonder Woman and Guardians of the Galaxy films. The reaction to the first trailer was just as glamorous, with the clip gathering 250 million views across all platforms in its first 24 hours and becoming the most-viewed DC trailer and the fourth of all time. The second official trailer for the movie is expected to drop next month.

RUMOR: Superman Test Screening Reaction Could Reveal Strengths (And Potential Weaknesses) Of James Gunn’s First DCU Movie

A thread on Reddit detailed a number of observations from a source who reportedly attended a recent screening of Superman.

Bradley Cooper Apparently Plays Jor-El In Superman

‘Tis But a Cameo

The official ensemble characters do not include Jor-El, but whispers of the character’s appearance — to be played by faces like Tom Cruise and Chris Pratt — have been heard in different corners of the comic book scooping world. However, recent word from ViewerAnon on X, reveals that Jor-El would indeed feature in Superman, and it would be played by none other than Bradley Cooper. His appearance is more of a cameo than an extensive feature, though.

“He appears in the first couple minutes of the movie, so I promise this is not a big spoiler.”

That Jor-El shows face in Superman and is played by Bradley Cooper, if true, are two things that should hardly surprise anyone familiar with the character and James Gunn. Jor-El is a staple in Superman films as Kal-El’s biological father and mentor. Thus, worry from some fans that his appearance betrays Gunn’s desire to reenact the classic “birth of Superman” storyline is unfounded.

Meanwhile, the choice of Cooper, who plays Rocket Raccoon in the MCU, follows a thread of actors whom Gunn has brought with him from the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy films to his new DCU project. Michael Rooker, who played Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy, also stepped in as Savant in The Suicide Squad. Sean Gunn, Gunn’s brother, has featured in The Suicide Squad, Creature Commandos, and even in Superman, as does Mikaela Hoover’s Cat Grant. Cooper’s credits, which include the 2018 film A Star Is Born, cast little doubt on his ability to portray Jor El’s elegance and father figure.

It’s quite possible that Jor-El will be a recurring character in Gunn’s DCU and may even poke a face in Supergirl, although it’s all speculation at this stage. While many fans certainly hope that’s the case, as more of Jor-El is better than no Jor-El at all, others undoubtedly will hold the opinion that his appearance is imprudent and a waste of cameo space.

Superman flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.