Has Bradley Cooper joined the DCU? Rumors about actor’s Superman casting, explored

Peter Safran and James Gunn's DCU casting rumors have been circulating across the internet for a while. This time, it is regarding the upcoming DC movie Superman. One of the biggest rumors a few weeks ago was the inclusion of Tom Cruise as Jor-El, Kal-El's Kryptonian father. However, if Internet scooper ViewerAnon is to be believed, Jor-El will be portrayed by actor Bradley Cooper.

If true, this will be an interesting casting choice as Bradley Cooper will be the second youngest actor to play Jor-El on the big screen in a live-action movie. The youngest actor for now is still Russell Crowe, who was 49 when he appeared in Man of Steel as Jor-El. However, this DCU casting is yet to be officially confirmed either by the studio or by James Gunn. Until then, we should take it as a rumor.

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Has the DCU Superman movie added Bradley Cooper to its cast?

If ViewerAnon is to be believed, then yes, Bradley Cooper is indeed playing Jor-El in DCU's Superman. However, it should also be noted that scoopers are unreliable because their sources could also be misled. Let's remember all the "leaks" internet scoopers posted between 2018 and 2019 regarding the then-un titled and unreleased Avengers: Endgame.

Also, we should note that the scooper revealed that Cooper will appear in the opening minutes of Superman. But James Gunn had previously confirmed back in December 2024 to TheWrap that the upcoming DCU Superman flick will not retell the origin tale. Instead, he said that Clark has already adopted the Superman persona as the movie begins. Here's what he said:

“We just start in the middle of the action. Superman’s already existing. Lois and Clark already know each other. Lex hates Superman’s guts from the beginning, although they don’t know each other personally.”

This throws the possibility of Jor-El appearing in person into question. However, that does not mean that Bradley Cooper is not a part of the DCU. There are two possibilities. Firstly, he can be a Jor-El but appear as the character in the form of a hologram in the Fortress of Solitude, or he might voice the Kryptonian robot in the Fortress that Superman is seen crying over in the first teaser.

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Is it possible for Bradley Cooper to play Jor-El?

Technically, yes, it is possible that Bradley Cooper could be Jor-El in Superman. However, it should be noted that, for now, this is just a rumor and not a confirmation. It will likely remain that way either till the WBD 2025 CinemaCon presentation or somewhere close to the movie's release date. But until then, the story about The Hangover star's involvement with the superhero franchise should be taken with a grain of salt.

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What will Superman be about?

The first teaser, released in December 2024, doesn't reveal much about the plot. However, there were some teases here and there that hinted at the tone of the movie. Back in January 2023, Gunn and Safran said this about the movie:

“He is the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.”

Other than that, we already know that this is a universe in which superheroes already exist. The ones seen in the movie include Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, Metamorpho, and Mister Terrific. Also included in the movie is the Authority character, The Engineer. However, her role in the movie remains undisclosed for now.

“James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a SUPERMAN who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.”

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Superman will be released in cinemas globally on July 11, 2025. However, until then, we can binge the first DCU project, Creature Commandos, on Max.