James Gunn Says Big Brother 28 Contestant Turned Down Superman Role to Join CBS Show

Here’s one for the oddest crossover pile: James Gunn, never shy of a bit of celebrity trivia,’s just cleared up why you won’t be spotting a certain reality TV face sneaking around the back of Man of Tomorrow. Turns out, it all comes down to an absolutely classic scheduling cock-up, and, honestly, it’s not the explanation I thought we’d get.

Rick Devens: From Superman's Metropolis to Big Brother's Diary Room

Right, so the bloke in question is Rick Devens – familiar if you’ve been keeping up with US reality telly, especially after his memorable run on Survivor. These days, he’s locked up in the Big Brother house for the 28th(!) series on CBS, trying to outwit housemates for a chance at that $750,000 prize. I mean, say what you want about these shows, but you can't deny the stakes.

Here’s where it gets interesting. During a live eviction episode of Big Brother (Thursday night TV – I don’t judge), Devens unexpectedly gives James Gunn a proper shoutout. This, obviously, gets fans’ imaginations firing: is Devens about to turn up in Gunn’s new Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow?

Gunn Clears the Air on Threads

Cue a bit of online poking about. Someone spots the mention, takes to Threads, and flat-out asks James Gunn if Devens is getting a DC cameo. Gunn doesn’t faff about:

'No because he's on Big Brother! Otherwise he would have been,'

So, the chance of seeing Rick Devens hanging around the Daily Planet offices as a blink-and-you-miss-it extra? Completely derailed by his commitment to that relentless CBS camera prison. Gunn adds that yes, the two actually know each other properly – not just a passing nod at a party.

‘He Couldn’t Tell Me Why…’

Gunn, being Gunn, doesn’t stop there. Another fan pipes up, not quite believing Devens and Gunn are actual mates. Gunn doubles down: Devens genuinely was booked for a background gig in Man of Tomorrow, but had to pull out due to being sucked away for the Big Brother taping. Here’s the fun bit: Devens apparently didn’t tell Gunn exactly why at the time, only that the reason would 'excite' him. That secret? He was off to try to win the Big Brother jackpot. (No word yet on whether Gunn’s thrilled or just annoyed he’s one background cameo down.)

• Rick Devens was set for a cameo in Man of Tomorrow, but vanished thanks to the Big Brother filming clash
• He kept the reality gig a secret from Gunn until the big TV reveal
• Despite Devens missing out, his wife and kids still popped round the Man of Tomorrow set for a visit
• Gunn says there’s genuine friendship there – not just celeb networking

Where That Leaves Superman’s Next Outing

To stack a bit more context on top: Man of Tomorrow is the sequel to Gunn’s first Superman film, which didn’t do badly for itself – $125 million at the US box office, and reportedly the first DC flick since 2022’s The Batman to crack $300 million worldwide. David Corenswet returns as the man in the cape, with Man of Tomorrow set for cinemas 9 July 2027.

Meanwhile, over on CBS, Devens is still locked in for Big Brother 28, aiming to see if lightning can strike twice (or three times, depending on your Survivor count).