WARNING: The following content contains spoilers for the "Superman" movie. Please read with discretion.
The DCU's inaugural film, "Superman," while largely praised since its release, features a particular plot point that has sparked significant debate among viewers. Director James Gunn recently addressed the controversial alteration regarding Superman's biological parents' message for the first time in an interview. 
In the movie, before the infant Kal-El was sent to Earth, his parents, Jor-El and Lara, left a message urging him to "do good" on Earth. However, when Lex Luthor later decoded the damaged other half of the message, it shockingly revealed that his parents actually intended for their son to marry countless wives, procreate, and ensure the continuation of Kryptonian civilization on Earth, even conquering the planet if necessary.
This revelation stunned audiences and led to Superman temporarily losing the trust of humanity. Fortunately, he eventually regained their faith through his own actions. In the film's closing moments, Superman proactively replaced his parents' message playing in the Fortress of Solitude with home videos of his childhood with the Kents, symbolizing his choice to embrace his identity as an Earthling.
Addressing external skepticism regarding this "darkened parental message," Director Gunn stated, "As a Superman fan myself, I deeply value the core of the character. I believe this change doesn't betray Superman's essence; instead, it adds more dramatic tension to the character within this new universe."
He added that this kind of setup has actually appeared in certain comic book versions before, saying, "We simply found an interesting angle to make the DCU story unique."
However, some viewers expressed concern that this father-son conflict might draw parallels to Gunn's previous work in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," where Star-Lord confronted his biological father. Others have compared this film to "evil Superman" narratives like "Brightburn" or "Invincible."
Despite these discussions, "Superman" has garnered high praise for its emotional depth and character development. David Corenswet successfully portrayed a Man of Steel filled with empathy and a steadfast belief in goodness, delivering a strong debut for the DC rebooted universe.