Following the positive reception of Superman, it’s no surprise that its director and writer, James Gunn, has begun work on a sequel. Its follow-up will see Superman/Clark Kent (David Corenswet) allied with the villainous Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) against a greater evil.

Earlier this month, Gunn surprised fans with the announcement that the sequel, тιтled Man of Tomorrow, would be released on July 9, 2027. Alongside this reveal, he, as well as Corenswet and Hoult, shared concept art of Lex donning his iconic warsuit side-by-side with Superman.

On the heels of Superman’s mᴀssive streaming success, Gunn opened up about how Man of Tomorrow compares to its predecessor. The filmmaker explained: “The story in Man of Tomorrow is slightly tonally different from Superman… Superman’s more comic-booky in some ways than Man of Tomorrow, and it has to do with the dual characters of Lex and Superman at the center of Man of Tomorrow and other things.“

Gunn continued that he was “more interested in getting into the heart of Lex” and “getting to know more of Lex as a human being.” The director felt that there was more depth to Lex than what Superman showed, clarifying:

There’s something, despite everything, that is incredibly heroic about Lex. Take aside morality, which is hard to do, but here is this guy who’s saying, ‘You can hold up a building. You can shoot down planes with your eyes. F*ck you, I’m going to kick your a*s because I’m better than you.’ I can’t help but admire his tenacity and his ego. I mean, his ambition is beyond compare.

What James Gunn’s Comments Mean For Man Of Tomorrow

Though Superman placed Clark and Lex as moral opposites, Gunn seems to be doing the inverse with Man of Tomorrow. Showing the enemies fighting together instead of against each other would theoretically allow Lex’s more positive traits to shine.

Per Gunn, Lex is driven, smart, and bold. Taking these aspects of his character and pairing them with Superman’s kindness and strength would make for a formidable team, something they may need if the fan theory that they will face Brainiac comes to fruition.

Additionally, Superman laid the groundwork for exploring Lex’s more sympathetic traits. During their climactic showdown, Clark tells Lex:

I am as human as anyone. I love, I get scared. I wake up every morning, and despite not knowing what to do, I put one foot in front of the other, and I try to make the best choices that I can. I screw up all the time, but that is being human, and that’s my greatest strength. And someday, I hope, for the sake of the world, you understand that it’s yours too.

This sentimental speech set up a potential exploration of Lex’s character. Per Gunn’s latest comments, Man of Tomorrow seems aimed at fulfilling this promise.

Our Take On James Gunn’s Comments About Man Of Tomorrow And Lex Luthor

A true foil to Superman, Lex has long been a complex, dynamic antagonist. Though many iterations of the Superman mythos have delved into his more sympathetic side, like in Smallville, the film versions of Lex have rarely received such thorough characterization.

That is, until Hoult’s Lex debuted in Superman. In arguably the strongest film depiction of the villain to date, this Lex was compelling due to his evil, his ego, and his insecurities. Taking that foundation and making him more of an antihero is a smart move by Gunn, which might just make Man of Tomorrow Lex’s best outing yet.