DC didn’t get the “home run” it was hoping for with Superman, but it did enough to launch the new DCU on the big screen, proving there’s still plenty of appetite for the Man of Steel. Man of Tomorrow is set to continue that momentum as the next chapter in the “Super Family Saga,” with James Gunn expanding on the threads set up in Superman. Slated for release in 2027, this not-so-direct follow-up will see David Corenswet return as Superman, this time alongside Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor in what appears to be a rare, uneasy alliance, as the two face a threat that could challenge the fate of Metropolis and potentially the wider DCU.
Much of the cast from the first film is returning, including Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., along with new additions like Aaron Pierre. While there’s still a long wait before Man of Tomorrow hits theatres, Gunn has been generous with updates, giving fans plenty to go on. From its release date and returning cast to new additions and potential plot details, here’s everything currently known about Man of Tomorrow.
Superman: Man of Tomorrow: Release Date
Superman: Man of Tomorrow soars into theatres on July 9, 2027, nearly two years after the first film. James Gunn announced the release date in September 2025, confirming that DC plans to keep Superman guiding the next chapter in its cinematic universe. The film will be the fourth entry in the DC Universe reboot and the seventh installment of Gunn’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Superman: Man of Tomorrow: Cast
Based on everyone confirmed so far, the cast of Superman: Man of Tomorrow is already looking packed with returning favorites and exciting new additions. As expected, David Corenswet is returning as Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent, while Nicholas Hoult reprises his role as Lex Luthor, teaming up with the Man of Steel in a tense, uneasy alliance.
As for new faces joining the cast, Lars Eidinger will make his live-action feature debut as Brainiac, the looming alien threat that will test both Superman and Luthor. Aaron Pierre also joins as John Stewart/Green Lantern from the upcoming Lanterns series, and Trevor Newlin is set to join as Mister Handsome, though details about his character remain under wraps. Superman: Man of Tomorrow will also see Rachel Brosnahan return as Lois Lane, Isabel Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, María Gabriela de Faría Chacón as The Engineer, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.
Here’s the current expected cast for Superman: Man of Tomorrow:
- David Corenswet as Superman/Kal-El/Clark Kent
- Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
- Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane
- Isabel Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl
- María Gabriela de Faría Chacón as The Engineer
- Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen
- Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher
- Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.
- Lars Eidinger as Vril Dox/Brainiac
- Aaron Pierre as John Stewart/Green Lantern
- Trevor Newlin as Mister Handsome
What Will Superman: Man of Tomorrow Be About?
Given that Superman: Man of Tomorrow will go into production sometime in April, DC hasn’t revealed much about the film’s story yet. That said, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has been surprisingly open about the pieces he’s putting in place.
According to Gunn, Peacemaker Season 2 will directly feed into Man of Tomorrow and also act as a direct prequel to Man of Tomorrow, setting up many of the events that carry over to the big screen. Season 2 saw Lex Luthor team up with Rick Flag Sr., whose vendetta against metahumans led to the creation of Salvation, a planet-turned-prison for superpowered individuals. Peacemaker himself became the first inmate, not for justice, but as personal payback for Flag after the death of his son.
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Gunn said, “People should expect that the way that the military and Rick Flag and everybody are working together and they’ve created a probably illegal prison for metahumans on another dimension is gonna be a part of DCU stories going forward. And not just a tertiary, ‘Oh, this is Arkham’ – it’s a part of the stories. There’s an escalating war, obviously, that’s going on between the government and metahumans. And this is a part of it.”
Gunn has even shared some early concept art that gives us a few clues about what’s coming. The images show Superman and Lex suited up, with Lex rocking his purple-and-green battle armor. In some of the art, they look like they’re going at each other, while in others, it seems like they’re actually working together.
The central threat in Man of Tomorrow will be Lars Eidinger’s Brainiac and Gunn has pulled from different versions of the character to give this version more of a psychological horror edge. Speaking about the process, he said, “I love aspects of many versions of the characters, from the 1950s Binder stuff to the surprisingly scary Wolfman stuff to the animated versions and up through the truly creepy and wonderful, current Absolute Brainiac.”
If the sequel’s title is anything to go by, there may be more going on with Man of Tomorrow than it first suggests. It nods to Alan Moore’s Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?, the 1986 comic storyline that looks at Superman’s final days and the cost of being the world’s ultimate protector. While Gunn hasn’t confirmed any direct connection, it looks like this sequel might push Corenswet’s Clark Kent into more difficult territory, both physically and morally, than what we saw in the first film.
Lastly, back in December, Nicholas Hoult revealed that he had read the sequel’s script and described it as having “really fun stuff,” suggesting Lex Luthor could have a much larger role this time around, operating alongside Superman in ways that aren’t immediately obvious.
Is There A Trailer For Superman: Man of Tomorrow?
As things stand, there are currently no trailers for Superman: Man of Tomorrow. The film hasn’t entered production yet and with filming expected to begin in April 2026, a trailer or first look is unlikely to arrive before late 2026 or early 2027.
Are There Other Movies Like Superman: Man of Tomorrow?
If you want a sense of what Man of Tomorrow might feel like, start with 2025’s Superman, which sets up this version of the character and will give you a clear idea of the tone, the stakes, and the kind of storytelling Gunn is building on. Beyond that, Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel offers a more intense, introspective take on Superman, taking a more serious look at identity and responsibility.
While it might seem like an unexpected comparison, we’d also recommend watching Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse as it taps into a similar core idea of what it really means to be a hero. Outside superhero films, The Iron Giant, Paddington 2, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty land in a similar space as feel-good stories about kindness, humanity, and choosing to be better.
