Superman director James Gunn has garnered controversy ahead of the film’s widespread release Friday, likening the Man of Steel to an immigrant.

Gunn, 58, told The Sunday Times of London on Friday that he felt the character – played by David Corenswet, 32, in the new movie – had a lot in common with immigrants who come to the America in search of a better life.

‘I mean, Superman is the story of America,’ Gunn told the English news outlet. ‘An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country, but for me it is mostly a story that says basic human kindness is a value and is something we have lost.’

The filmmaker was subsequently asked by the outlet if he expected that the motion picture would be received differently in historically Democratic or Republican areas amid the current political climate in America.

‘Yes, it plays differently,’ Gunn said in response. ‘But it’s about human kindness and obviously there will be jerks out there who are just not kind and will take it as offensive just because it is about kindness. But screw them.’

The tentpole action film, which is already getting mixed reviews, is due in theaters Friday.

Superman director James Gunn, 58, has garnered controversy ahead of the film’s widespread release Friday, likening the Man of Steel to an ‘immigrant.’ Pictured Monday at the LA premiere

David Corenswet, 32, seen in a promotional shot for the film, which arrives in theaters July 11

The Superman character is from a planet called Krypton who lands on earth after his parents send him away as a baby in a travel pod ahead of the planet’s imminent destruction.

The baby, named Kal-El, grows up and goes by the identity of mild-mannered reporter Clark Kent when he is not Superman.

Gunn faced criticism from a number of media personalities, including Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld, who said the filmmaker is operating with ‘a woke shield’ – and out of touch with what Americans really feel.

‘He’s creating a moat of woke, enlightened opinion around him,’ Gutfeld said of the St. Louis-born filmmaker.

Kellyanne Conway, who served under President Donald Trump during his first term,  said that Gunn had missed the point of a trip to the movie theater being about escapism.

‘We don’t go to the movie theater to be lectured to and to have somebody throw their ideology onto us,’ Conway said, according to the New York Post.

Conservative personality Chris Stigall said the filmmaker was trying to confuse the issue with the words he used.

‘This guy Gunn says you’re not an American if you don’t support immigrants – well, of course, it’s not about immigrants,’ Stigall said. ‘The issue is the word he left out – illegal – illegal immigrants and aliens. Isn’t [Superman’s] tagline “Truth, justice, and the American way?”‘

Gunn – pictured on the set of the movie with Nicholas Hoult and David Corenswet – spoke about the backlash to the remarks at the film’s premiere in Los Angeles on Monday

Kellyanne Conway, who served under President Donald Trump during his first term, said that Gunn had missed the point of a trip to the movie theater being about escapism – not ideology. Pictured in November of 2016 in NYC following Trump’s win over Hilary Clinton

Stigall added: ‘Truth Justice, and the American Way, which I think [the hard left] long ago ditched [the phrase] “American Way” because the hard left couldn’t have an iconic superhero actually standing up for the country and saluting the country.

‘But I’m pretty sure, once upon a time, they used to associate that with Superman … when did they ditch it?’

Stigall said he believed DC Comics was leaned on by the hard left to distance the superhero from overtly nationalistic values – betraying the character’s comic book roots.

‘I am sure at some point, the DC people were castigated by the Progressives and said, “You got to ditch that American way stuff – Superman can’t be American – and he certainly can’t be pro American!”

He added, ‘But I bet if you go back into comic book lore … you will find a rich history of people producing comic books and comic book characters that were very, very pro-America and the American spirit.’

James Gunn spoke with Variety about the backlash to the remarks at the film’s premiere in Los Angeles on Monday.

Gunn said he didn’t have ‘anything to say to anybody’ and wasn’t there ‘to judge people’ he had a difference of opinion with.

Gunn reiterated, ‘I think this is a movie about kindness and I think that’s something everyone can relate to.’

Conservative personality Chris Stigall said the filmmaker was trying to confuse the issue with the words he used. Pictured last year with President Trump

Actor Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner-Green Lantern) said of Gunn’s critics, ‘Aw, somebody needs a hug,’ adding, ‘Just a movie, guys.’ Pictured Monday in LA

The director’s brother Sean Gunn (Maxwell Lord) took up for his sibling, saying that his reaction to the backlash was that Superman does indeed represent the immigrant population amid the politically-divisive times. Pictured Monday in LA

Cast members were more vociferous in their defense of Gunn, who has a history of being well-liked by the actors he works with and fans of the franchises he’s overseen – most notably Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

Actor Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner-Green Lantern) said of Gunn’s critics, ‘Aw, somebody needs a hug,’ adding, ‘Just a movie, guys.’

The director’s brother Sean Gunn, who plays Maxwell Lord in the movie, took up for his sibling, saying that his reaction to the backlash was that Superman does indeed represent the immigrant population amid the politically-divisive times.

‘My reaction to is that it is exactly what the movie is about,’ Sean Gunn said. ‘We support our people, you know? We love our immigrants.

Joining Corenswet in the cast of the motion picture are Rachel Brosnahan (as Lois Lane), Nicholas Hoult (as Lex Luthor), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl) and Milly Alcock (Supergirl)

Bradley Cooper plays the role of Superman’s father Jor-El in the new movie. The Limitless leading man pictured last month in Paris

‘Yes, Superman is an immigrant, and yes, the people that we support in this country are immigrants and if you don’t like that, you’re not American.

Sean Gunn concluded that ‘people who say no to immigrants are against the American way.’

Joining Corenswet, Fillion and Gunn in the cast of the motion picture are Rachel Brosnahan (as Lois Lane), Nicholas Hoult (as Lex Luthor), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Milly Alcock (Supergirl).

Limitless leading man Bradley Cooper plays the role of Superman’s father Jor-El, the role famously commandeered by late Hollywood legend Marlon Brando; Oscar winning A-lister Russell Crowe; and venerated late actor Julian Sands in previous productions about the famed Man of Steel.