ICYMI: James Gunn Introduces The World To The First Superhero Horror Film With 'Brightburn'!

Superhero movies are a dime a dozen in today’s entertainment industry. Every year, audiences are subjected to about a half-dozen or so comic book tales, and every year moviegoers can’t get enough of them. This number looks to increase over time, and Hollywood shows little signs of slowing down on these types of flicks. But how much longer will fans continue to flock to the hero-beats-the-villain storyline? Well, for those looking for a new take on the superhero genre, James Gunn has something for you.

Gunn has made a name for himself in the game by telling the stories others are afraid to tell and exceeding expectations with the results. He has put his own spin on the horror genre and a unique perspective to superhero films. From the Guardians of the Galaxy films and Slither to The Belko Experiment, he definitely brings some things to the table that other filmmakers don’t. And he looks to continue this trend with his next release which takes a cliché superhero story and throws it into the depths of a terrifying horror movie.

Brightburn sees an alien baby mysteriously land on Earth. This baby is then raised by the couple who finds him until, one day, things start getting weird. While this sounds like a DC film most comic book fans know by heart, it is much different. The caped crusader in this story is actually a menacing alien whose motivations are definitely not to save mankind. It seems he could have been sent here to do the opposite. Between the grinding on a fork to reveal it has been mangled in the child’s mouth to the absolute nightmare-inducing mask with piercing red eyes, this looks like a solid entry into the horror world and an epic start to a brand new genre. 

This comic book horror pic stars the talented Elizabeth Banks as the mother of the extraterrestrial, and her husband is played by David Denman, who fans will remember as Roy from "The Office". The film is directed by The Hive’s David Yarovesky and is written by James Gunn’s brother Brian Gunn and cousin Mark Gunn. Gunn himself is the producer on the film that has a solid cast, great minds behind the scenes, and an intriguing story that fans of both genres won’t want to miss.

This Memorial Day, their blessing will become a curse. Brightburn arrives in theaters on May 24, 2019.

(Image via Sony PIctures)

- D.J. Rivera, YH Contributing Writer