Superman’s Squirrel Scene Is Deeper Than You Think

August 2, 2025

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While test audiences may have had questions about Superman’s titular superhero performing an unexpected wildlife rescue, the DC movie’s co-composer has offered his insight into the hotly contested moment. During a recent interview following Superman’s release, James Gunn revealed that some test audiences had taken issue with David Corenswet’s Superman saving a squirrel while fighting a rampaging Kaiju.

Nonetheless, Gunn decided to keep the moment in his movie’s final edit, despite the feedback he had received and additional protests from some of his crew. Since then, the pivotal moment has become a major focus of online discussion and has even spawned a slew of memes and other viral content.

Speaking with ScreenRant, Superman co-composer David Fleming offered his thoughts on the ongoing debate over Superman saving a squirrel. Suggesting that he is “kind of delighted” with fan reactions to the moment, Fleming revealed that he had scored versions of the scene both with and without the squirrel. Check out his comments below:

I’m kind of delighted that people are getting so upset about a squirrel. It’s so funny. That was one of the first scenes I did, and I believe that I scored a version without the squirrel and a version with the squirrel.

Ultimately, however, Fleming revealed that he is fond of the moment and explained how Superman’s actions are true to his character. He also suggested they were a perfect counterpoint to the more callous and careless actions of the Justice Gang. Check out his final comments below:

I kind of think the squirrel’s great. To go back to the Justice Gang being a great foil for Superman, the fun of the scene is how haphazard they are versus him trying to make sure everyone is safe all the time, which is a real hallmark of his character and at the core of the creation of the character.

So, I think that was the fun dynamic that James is playing with there, and it was a lot of fun to have him be that babyfaced superhero character and there’s a lot of collateral damage when [the Justice Gang] comes around. They tend to make a big mess.

Over the years, DC’s Superman has been reimagined and recontextualized countless times. While the character’s previous big-screen iteration had largely centered on depicting the Last Son of Krypton as a god-like being attempting to find his place among mortals, Gunn’s version intentionally leans into the strength of his humanity, and his concern for all living creatures.

Much as Fleming suggests, not only does Superman’s insistence on saving even the smallest of animals harkens back to some of his more classic character traits and highlights his desire to protect all living beings. Mere moments after rescuing the squirrel, Corenswet’s Superman even laments the Justice Gang’s decision to kill the Kaiju they had been battling.

Our Take On Superman’s Squirrel Rescue

While Fleming’s most recent comments may not sway some of the moment’s more vocal critics, the revelation that he had been required to score two alternate versions of the scene, one with and without the squirrel, suggests that Gunn had initially taken the test audience feedback seriously.

Ultimately, however, Gunn opted to keep Superman’s squirrel rescue in, and for many, the all-too-brief moment has since become symbolic of his irrepressibly optimistic take on the world’s best-known superhero. In a comic book universe already filled to bursting with metahumans parading as heroes and villains, it is Superman’s boundless empathy that truly sets him apart from his many contemporaries.