"Superman" hasn't even left theaters yet — though you can now stream the DCU movie at home. But that hasn't stopped DC Studios co-CEO and "Superman" writer/director James Gunn from already moving onto the next phase in the "Super-Family" saga. Yes, "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" is coming early next year, starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El. However, her cousin is officially returning to the silver screen in 2027.
In an Instagram post, Gunn announced that "Man of Tomorrow" will premiere in theaters on July 9, 2027. The announcement didn't reveal much more than the title and release date, though it seems likely that the movie will feature at least Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and David Corenswet as the titular Man of Tomorrow. The image by DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee shows Luthor and Superman side by side, with Superman seemingly already thwarting Lex's next nefarious plan.
Is 'Man of Tomorrow' just 'Superman 2'? Depends who you ask
Now, if you're a hardcore DC fan, you might be doing a double-take right now. After all, didn't Gunn tell us literally back in June that the next movie he was working on wasn't a direct "Superman" sequel? Is he a liar now that "Man of Tomorrow" has been revealed?
So the short answer is ... it's complicated. The post doesn't reveal anything about "Man of Tomorrow" beyond its title and release date. In the Threads post that Gunn made in concert with the Instagram announcement, speculation was rampant in the replies, with some even suggesting that this might be an animated movie, rather than a live-action film.
Gunn hasn't officially ruled that out, but we're working under the assumption that this is a live-action follow-up to both "Superman" and "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow." He also addressed some replies from fans and confirmed that this is the same "Super-Family" movie he announced he was working on back in August.
"Yes, yes, sorry," Gunn responded to one Threads user. "This is the same movie. Superman has a major role. It's not 'Superman 2'."
At Tom's Guide, we're already starting to speculate what "Man of Tomorrow" could be. Is it, despite Gunn's assertions to the contrary, simply a "Superman" sequel? Is it a secret "Justice League" movie in disguise? My colleague Rory Mellon suggested it could be a smaller, Super-Family team-up sequel, a la "The Marvels" from the MCU.
Personally, I hope the name is a nod to the 2020 animated movie "Superman: Man of Tomorrow," which largely revolves around Superman, Lex Luthor, Lobo and J'onn J'onzz aka Martian Manhunter teaming up to stop a parasitic creature attacking Metropolis. I don't want a like-for-like live action remake, but introducing Martian Manhunter to the DCU would be an incredible swing by Gunn in "Man of Tomorrow," and one I'd gladly welcome.
Update (Sept. 11): James Gunn has since revealed that "Man of Tomorrow will indeed be a team-up movie, much like the 2020 animated movie of the same name. In an interview with Howard Stern, Gunn said that Hoult's Lex Luthor will be integral to the movie, almost in a co-lead role with Corenswet as Superman.
"It’s a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat,” Gunn told Stern. “It’s more complicated than that, but that’s a big part of it. It’s as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie. I loved working with Nicholas Hoult. I relate to the character of Lex, sadly. I really wanted to create something extraordinary with the two of them. I just love the script so much."
Setting aside the egotistical nature of loving your own script, I do think this signals Gunn is pulling from the animated "Man of Tomorrow" to craft the story for this live-action DCU movie. However, I would expect a larger villain than Parasite to bring Luthor and Supes together. Perhaps Braniac?
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Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
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