'Brightburn' writers Mark and Brian Gunn don't want you to side with their antihero
Warning: The following article contains minor plot spoilers for the Sony horror "Brightburn." You'll see another warning before discussion of the film's last act.
In a cinematic universe seemingly overrun with superheroes, the new horror movie "Brightburn" flips Superman's mythology on its head by imagining what might've happened had the Man of Steel sided with the forces of evil rather than good.
The film opens with the discovery of a baby who crash-landed on Earth from unknown extraterrestrial origins. Upon discovering his heightened abilities, 12-year-old antihero Brandon Breyer (played by newcomer Jackson A. Dunn) immediately resolves to subjugate the planet and terrorize the people closest to him.
Despite the complete lack of a moral compass, early audiences were unsure whether to root for or against the prepubescent killer.
"We actually were at a screening last night and Brandon committed a horrific murder and at least a dozen people burst out into applause," said screenwriter Brian Gunn, who co-wrote the script with his cousin Mark. "And I was like, 'Huh?'"
"There were these teenagers sitting
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