James Gunn Reacted With Vomit Emojis to Fake Superman ‘Concept’ Trailer Mistaken as Official

October 21, 20244 Mins Read

James Gunn has shared a strong reaction to a fake AI-generated Superman trailer being mistaken for an official look at his upcoming DCU movie. It seems that even news outlets can be duped by some of the “concept” trailers that are produced on YouTube and other video sharing sites by fans with or without the use of artificial intelligence. This is exactly what happened when a French news channel included footage from the fake trailer, leading to a lot of ridicule and an extreme reaction from Gunn himself.

While fans are desperate to see the first official footage of David Corenswet as Clark Kent and his Kryptonian alter-ego, there are those who have taken matters into their own hands and created several “concept” trailers that take scenes from other movies and mash them together with some almost convincing AI-generated close-ups of the film’s cast for added authenticity. Of course, there are always tell-tale signs that these trailers are not the real thing…just apparently not to over-zealous journalists.

Gunn is rarely at ease with overusing CGI in his movies, having always championed practical effects where possible, so the idea of anything AI being near his projects is enough to make him queasy…and his reaction to a post pointing out the France 2 channel’s error proves it. Gunn simply responded to the post with three vomit emojis and left it at that.

A follower of Gunn’s X/Twitter account expressed their dismay at him having seen the post, and commented that they “hoped you would never see this.” Gunn responded to that post by simply saying:

Fan-Made Trailers Are Harmless Until They Attempt to Mislead Audiences

The fan-made AI trailer for Superman quickly gained traction on platforms like YouTube, with millions of DC fans initially thinking they were being shown a genuine first look at Gunn’s new DCU debut movie. With the trailer being labeled as “Superman (2025) – Official Trailer,” it is perhaps not surprising that some people were duped for even just a moment.

This is where AI-generated trailers can turn from a fun bit of fan appreciation to something with a bit of a sinister edge. Where it was once almost impossible for regular internet users to create something that had the look and feel of a movie trailer, without having access to thousands of dollars-worth of high-end software, that has changed dramatically over the last few years. Now, for a very small subscription fee, anyone can access various AI interfaces that will create pretty much anything they want in a few mouse-clicks.

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Along with Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and Keanu Reeves, there are some fun suggestions in this AI-generated offering.

If these trailers are shared online in the same transparent way that fans have shared pieces of artwork and redesigned posters for years, then there should really not be a problem. The problem is that with algorithms running the world (of the internet only…for now) it is quite easy for search engines to be tricked by people who are more interested in making money from an IP that is not theirs to use legally. As deepfake technology now allows anyone to replicate a famous actor’s voice or appearance – such as TikTok Tom Cruise – the line between fun little tributes made by fans for fans and videos that set out to deceive, is blurring a little more each day.

When it comes to Superman, fans will have to wait a little longer to see the first official trailer for James Gunn’s introduction to his new Man of Steel and the DCU. If you are struggling to work out whether any DC trailers are real or fake, there is a simple way to deduce the truth beyond the obvious signs. If Gunn didn’t share it, then it is not the real deal.

Written and directed by James Gunn, Superman is the first movie in Warner Bros.’ rebooted DC Universe to center around the titular comic book hero. It introduces a new version of the Man of Steel after Henry Cavill’s departure from the role, honoring the character’s roots as “the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way.”