James Gunn's "Brightburn" Reveals New Genre: Superhero Horror

BYMitch Findlay1.7K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Anthony Harvey/Getty Images
James Gunn
James Gunn flips the script on the "Superman" formula.

Superhero films have been done in a variety of different ways. There are those with a more serious tone, like Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight or James Mangold's Logan. Others embrace comedy, like Ant-Man & The Wasp or Guardians Of The Galaxy. Some are truly epic in scope like Avengers: Infinity War, while some are more family oriented, like The Incredibles. Some dabble in gritty, violent realism, like the Kick-Ass series or The Watchmen. The Superhero genre has expanded and experimented with, and the results have varied in both tone and quality. Now, it would appear that a new subgenre is on the verge of arriving: superhero horror.

The new trailer James Gunn's Brightburn provides a deep, and arguably too-revealing look at the upcoming film. Set to arrive on May 29th, Brightburn centers around a child's arrival to Earth, where he is adopted by a Midwestern family, not unlike the character on which he is based. Only unlike Clark Kent, Jackson A. Dunn is of a more villainous disposition. Boasting powers of super strength, super speed, and laser-eye vision, the kid seems more than willing to dip his toes in darker territory. 

While it's difficult to assess how deep Brightburn will go into full-fledged horror, it's certainly shot with the aesthetic in mind. For the most part, Superhero-Horror is a relatively new genre, with the upcoming X-Men: New Mutants looking to carry on tradition. Does it have legs? Check out the trailer below, and sound off below.


About The Author
<b>Feature Editor</b> <!--BR--> Mitch Findlay is a writer and hip-hop journalist based in Montreal. Resident old head by default. Enjoys writing Original Content about music, albums, lyrics, and rap history. His favorite memories include interviewing J.I.D and EarthGang at the "Revenge Of The Dreamers 3" studio sessions in Atlanta and receiving a phone call from Dr. Dre. In his spare time he makes horror movies.
...