James Gunn clears up one small detail in Superman and explains why Clark Kent doesn't have the same accent as his parents

Superman director James Gunn has cleared up one small detail in the superhero movie: why Clark Kent doesn't have the same accent as his parents, Jonathan and Martha.

"Although I resent the term redneck it's the same reason I don't have the same accent my parents do," Gunn replied to a now-deleted post on Threads. "You go to college in a different city, you get mocked for it, and you train yourself out of it little by little."

After Superman is weakened by the kryptonite in Lex Luthor's pocket universe, Lois Lane takes him back to Smallville, Kansas to recover in his adoptive human parents' home. Jonathan and Martha have strong southern accents, whereas Clark has a more neutral, metropolitan accent despite his rural upbringing.

"I personally think it would have been really adorable if he slipped back into an accent when he was back home," one fan commented on Reddit. "I want him to go with Supergirl to a red-sun bar, have two or three drinks, and slip back in to the accent like I do," said someone else.

Superman, the first theatrical outing in the new DCU Chapter One, stars David Corenswet as the Man of Steel. Rachel Brosnahan plays Lois Lane, while Nicholas Hoult is Lex Luthor. The film is now the highest-grossing DC movie at the domestic box office ever, beating 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice with a total of over $331 million.

Superman is out now in theaters. For more on the movie, check out our guide to the Superman ending explained or our spoiler-free Superman review.