One of the fun parts about the new DCU is that James Gunn is never shy about suddenly dropping big news on social media. Case in point - Gunn recently tweeted out the title and release date of his hotly anticipated follow-up to Superman. Man of Tomorrow hits theaters on July 9, 2027, sooner than we would have anticipated.
We don’t know much about the plot of Man of Tomorrow at this early stage, but Gunn did leave DC fans with one other treat. His announcement was paired with a new piece of artwork from DC Comics CCO, Publisher, and President Jim Lee showcasing Lex Luthor and Superman together. That was immediately followed by two more Superman/Lex images from DC artists Jorge Jiménez and Mitch Gerads.
These images tell us a lot about the new movie and how it seems to be turning the DCU’s most bitter rivalry on its head. Let’s break down what we know so far.
Warning: this article contains full spoilers for Gunn's Superman!
Who Is the Man of Tomorrow?
Let’s start with the title. “Man of Tomorrow” is a phrase that should be familiar to a lot of Superman fans. Just as Batman is frequently referred to as “The Dark Knight” and “The Caped Crusader,” Superman is often dubbed “The Man of Tomorrow” in the comics. It’s a logical choice of title for Gunn’s Superman follow-up, akin to Christopher Nolan going from Batman Begins to The Dark Knight.
That said, we shouldn’t necessarily assume the title is referring to David Corenswet’s Kal-El in this case. Let’s not forget that Gunn has been adamant all along that this film isn’t Superman 2. He previously said, "... is it a straight-up Superman sequel? I would not say necessarily." Lee’s art certainly suggests that Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor has as big a role as Superman this time around. Could the title be referring to Luthor instead?
We suspect it’s meant to refer to both characters. Superman certainly embodies the phrase, as he’s worked for three years and counting to protect the citizens of Metropolis and serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration to the world. But Lex clearly views himself as the true Man of Tomorrow, the only one with the intelligence and the drive to guide humanity into a better age. As he sees it, humanity should be led by humans, not aliens like Superman.
The film will probably focus on the tension between the two characters as each strives to be the symbol mankind needs. Who’s the real Man of Tomorrow here, the brilliant but ruthless tech billionaire or the guy who’s made kindness the new punk rock?
Superman and Lex Luthor: Frenemies?
If there’s one takeaway from Lee’s art, it’s that we’re looking at an unlikely alliance between Lex and Superman in Man of Tomorrow. The image shows the two characters leaning back to back, with Luthor decked out in his classic green and purple power armor. But rather than appearing threatened by Lex’s new battlesuit, Superman is cozying up to his foe. He’s even holding up a screwdriver, suggesting that Kal-El will help Luthor design his trademark suit in the new movie.
Gerads’ image strikes a different tone, showing the two characters locked in combat, while Gerads’ image seems to depict the two fighting side-by-side against a common enemy.
All of this points to a major change in the tone of their relationship in Man of Tomorrow. In Superman, Luthor couldn’t be more bitter and hateful toward Supes. His every move in the film is directed toward discrediting and destroying Superman. He even refers to Superman as “it,” showing that he refuses to accept Superman as a person worthy of basic human dignity. We can’t imagine Lex’s ire toward Superman will cool at all in the aftermath of Superman. The movie ends with his plot being exposed and a disgraced Luthor being carted off to Belle Reve Prison.
Their relationship looks to be undergoing the same evolution it does in the comics, where Lex slowly shifts from being Superman’s greatest rival to a more ambiguous antagonist and occasional ally. Even so, it appears that something will happen to force Lex to reevaluate Superman and fight alongside him rather than against him. Their relationship looks to be undergoing the same evolution it does in the comics, where Lex slowly shifts from being Superman’s greatest rival to a more ambiguous antagonist and occasional ally. For example, Lex actually joined the Justice League during DC’s New 52 era, and in Joshua Williamson’s current Superman series, an incarcerated Lex has been cast as a helpful ally to Superman. Even in All-Star Superman, the comic Gunn has said inspired his first movie more than any other, Lex eventually has an epiphany when he gains Superman's powers and understands how his nemesis sees the world around him.
We doubt Man of Tomorrow will depict Lex doing a complete 180 in terms of his Superman stance, but it may force him to reevaluate his hatred toward the Man of Steel and realize that there are far greater dangers facing humanity. On that note…
Who Is the Villain of Man of Tomorrow?
Again, these three images hint that Superman and Lex will be forced to work together against a common enemy in Man of Tomorrow. Who could that enemy be? Superman’s rogues gallery is certainly a deep one, but a few characters stand out as likely candidates.
One option is General Zod, a character who’s certainly no stranger to live-action Superman projects at this point. Zod was previously played by the late Terence Stamp in 1978’s Superman and 1980’s Superman II, while Michael Shannon took on the role in 2013’s Man of Steel and several other DCEU movies. Gunn’s Superman already revealed that the Kryptonians had designs on Earth. Even Bradley Cooper’s Jor-El, normally a paragon of virtue, intended for his son to conquer Earth and create a new generation of Kryptonian/human hybrids.
Most versions of the Superman mythos eventually reveal that Dru-Zod and his soldiers survived Krypton’s destruction because they were imprisoned in the Phantom Zone. There’s no reason to assume the DCU will be any different. We wouldn’t be at all surprised if Man of Tomorrow shows Zod leading an army to conquer Earth and do what Kal-El refused. At that point, even Lex will be forced to accept that he’s better off with the devil he knows.
Another option is Brainiac, a major Superman villain who surprisingly hasn’t appeared in a live-action movie before. Brainiac is a ferociously intelligent collector who has tasked himself with absorbing the knowledge of intergalactic civilizations, bottling up cities as trophies, and destroying the rest. In some versions of the mythos, Brainiac is responsible for Krypton’s destruction.
Brainiac would make for an especially great villain in Man of Tomorrow because he’s on equal footing with both Superman and Lex Luthor. Between his cybernetic enhancements and various alternate bodies, he’s powerful enough to go toe-to-toe with Kal-El. And in terms of his intelligence, he’s the only villain in the DCU who can rival Lex.
Finally, we can’t help but think of Doomsday, arguably the strongest and most bloodthirsty of Superman’s many enemies. The opening crawl in Superman reveals that Kal-El has been on the job for three years and never lost a fight until his clash with the Hammer of Boravia. That would suggest that the DCU hasn’t yet experienced the brutal showdown between Superman and Doomsday that leaves both dead in the heart of Metropolis. Maybe the time has come to tell that story?
We don’t know that Gunn would want to return to the Doomsday well so soon after projects like 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the TV series Superman and Lois. But if any villain is fearsome enough to require an alliance between Superman and Lex Luthor, it’s definitely Doomsday.
Who do you think will be the villain of Man of Tomorrow? Vote in our poll and let us know your pick in the comments below.
For more on the future of the DCU, see every DC movie and series in development.
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.
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