New Superman sequel details have been revealed, teasing major DC Universe developments. Recently, James Gunn announced that his next DCU Chapter One movie as a director would be Man of Tomorrow, the sequel to his Superman movie. The project is set to fly into theaters on July 9, 2027. The upcoming DC movie being fast-tracked shows just how successful Gunn’s Superman is.
When he announced Man of Tomorrow, Gunn, Superman star David Corenswet, and Lex Luthor actor Nicholas Hoult shared different artworks featuring the DCU versions of the Man of Steel and his greatest enemy. Interestingly, in two of them, it seemed like Superman and Lex Luthor were working together. Gunn has now clarified what the Superman movie sequel has in store for the duo.
On The Howard Stern Show, James Gunn revealed that David Corenswet’s Superman will team up with Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor against a villain in Man of Tomorrow, the Superman sequel. Check out the full quote below:
“It’s a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat.”
According to Gunn, Superman and Lex Luthor will have to work together to fight “a much, much bigger threat.” That could point to a few DC villains making their DCU debut, with one in particular looking the most likely to appear. Gunn also revealed elsewhere in the interview that Man of Tomorrow will begin filming around April 2026.
What Man Of Tomorrow’s New Story Update Means For The Superman Sequel
James Gunn’s new Man of Tomorrow comments firmly explain why Lex Luthor and Superman seemed to be working together in two of the artworks released when the Superman sequel was announced, as well as why they were fighting in the third piece. Superman and Lex working together would always mean a reluctant truce, at least on Luthor’s behalf, given his hatred of Superman.
As seen at the end of Superman, David Corenswet’s Man of Steel saw that there was good inside of Lex, so he would be open to working with him. After nearly destroying Metropolis to try to take Superman down and seeing the world turn on him, Lex Luthor could be more open to changing his stance if it means getting people back on his side.
Gunn’s tease of a bigger threat that requires them to team up could mean characters like Brainiac, Mongul, or perhaps even Darkside could be entering the new DC Universe. However, given what appeared to be Brainiac DCU concept art was seen in the Adventures in the Making of Superman featurette, the villain could end up being the threat of Man of Tomorrow.
Our Take On Man Of Tomorrow’s New Story Update
While Brainiac has yet to be confirmed for the Superman movie sequel, the villain feels like the perfect threat for Man of Tomorrow. Brainiac is certainly a character that could be described by Gunn’s comments as a “much, much bigger threat,” and he would also offer a challenge for both Superman and Lex. He can fight and is technologically advanced, touching on their strengths.
As for Lex Luthor having a bigger role as a co-lead in Man of Tomorrow, the move makes sense. Nicholas Hoult’s performance made him a standout in Superman, and the DC hero saw there was good in Lex, so the sequel can see him realize it too. Man of Tomorrow is a тιтle that works for both characters as a fitting Superman sequel.