Superman: Man of Tomorrow Movie Preview

Imagine this: the Man of Steel, the ultimate symbol of hope, and his greatest archenemy, Lex Luthor, aren't fighting each other – instead, they're fighting side by side. This is exactly the crazy dynamic we can expect in "Superman: Man of Tomorrow". Filming for the sequel is underway, the first set photos are circulating online, and the cast is growing rapidly. Well, perhaps calling it a "sequel" might actually be misleading: it looks like we're already in for a pretty major crossover event! Does this sound exciting? Here's our new movie preview!

The Alliance Between Superman and Lex Luthor

After the events of the 2025 "Superman" movie, Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult, finds himself behind bars for the time being. But anyone who thinks the brilliant genius is out of the picture is sorely mistaken. He'll be back, though not in the way many expect. Director and DC head James Gunn has personally confirmed that "Man of Tomorrow" won't follow the traditional hero-versus-villain formula. Instead, the film's central storyline revolves around a reluctant, almost forced alliance between Superman and Lex Luthor.

This also makes the movie's title particularly intriguing: why "Man of Tomorrow"? In the comics, it's a common nickname for Superman. But with this title, James Gunn's screenplay could be hinting at a double meaning: Lex Luthor, driven by his enormous ego, sees himself as the true "Man of Tomorrow." He firmly believes that humanity should not be saved by an alien, but must survive and evolve through its own human efforts. In his eyes, Superman has stolen that role as humanity's savior from him. This deep ideological divide is likely to make their team-up dynamic highly volatile in the film. You can almost bet that once the common threat has been dealt with, Lex Luthor will immediately try to betray Superman.

The Warsuit's Live-Action Debut

To even be able to team up with Superman, Lex has to be physically up to the task. And this is where something new comes into play: the legendary Warsuit! What was once teased only through social media artwork has now become a reality. In the new movie, Nicholas Hoult will actually don the iconic high-tech armor. First glimpses from the set reveal that there's even a real costume, rather than just CGI. The suit grants Luthor superhuman strength, energy beams, and force fields. We can't wait to see how it all looks in action!

Brainiac: The Incarnation of Satan

What kind of colossal threat could it be that forces Lex Luthor to join forces with the hated Superman? The answer is a name DC fans have been eagerly awaiting for over a decade: Brainiac. In December 2025, James Gunn finally dropped the bombshell and confirmed the official casting of the alien android.

The role will be played by none other than German actor Lars Eidinger. While the casting may seem unconventional at first glance, Eidinger's comments so far promise great things. In interviews, he described his approach to the character in dark terms as the "incarnation of Satan". This points to an extremely menacing, cold, and terrifying antagonist.

Brainiac is a technological colossus, a conqueror who assimilates civilizations and shrinks cities. What makes him so dangerous is his utterly relentless, cold intellect. In the comics, he is often portrayed as a being who places knowledge above all else – he views the universe not as a habitat, but as an archive that he must complete by wiping out entire cultures. This makes him the perfect foil to Superman: while Clark Kent stands for empathy and the unconditional rescue of every individual, Brainiac embodies total, emotionless optimization, viewing lives merely as data points in an endless collection.

The arrival of this overwhelming intelligence on Earth forces Lex Luthor to cooperate. For Luthor, Earth is his property, his playground. He won't allow an alien AI to take his planet away from him. This creates a gripping triangle of motivations: Superman wants to protect humanity, Brainiac wants to assimilate them, and Lex wants to defend his own empire.
The first major DCU crossover: a risk?

Anyone who thought "Man of Tomorrow" would simply be a straightforward sequel has underestimated the ambitious plans of DC Studios. James Gunn sees it less as a sequel and more as a crossover event that brings together various characters from the universe. While the MCU in its early days took years and numerous solo films to bring its heroes together, Gunn is immediately kicking into high gear in the DCU. However, many fans had already criticized the DCEU for exactly that approach back then. Well, time will tell whether it works better this time around.

The Cast

But who's actually in the film? Of course, David Corenswet returns as Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as reporter Lois Lane, and Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen. Milly Alcock will reprise her role as Supergirl following the events of the first film – her story was recently explored in greater depth in her own standalone movie. The "Justice Gang" is also back: Nathan Fillion returns to the role of the edgy Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced is back as Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi returns as the highly intelligent Mister Terrific.

James Gunn has also revealed that the enigmatic businessman Maxwell Lord will have a significant role in the film. However, he intends to return the character to his more complex comic book origins – meaning we should not expect a typical villain like the one in "Wonder Woman 1984". In the second season of "Peacemaker", the role was played by the director's brother: Sean Gunn.
The cast list also includes several other prominent names: alongside familiar faces from the first "Superman" movie, Matthew Lillard will appear in an as-yet-undisclosed role. Aaron Pierre will play John Stewart, a character he also portrays in the "Lanterns" series.

Adria Arjona, known from "Andor", is set to appear as the alien queen Maxima. In the comics, she's primarily obsessed with Superman, whom she views as the only man worthy of being her mate and king – we can already sense the potential for an entertaining conflict with Lois Lane competing for Clark's affections.

With so many characters, the film could quickly feel overloaded – a risk especially for casual viewers who aren't deeply familiar with the subject matter. However, if anyone can effortlessly juggle large ensembles while still giving each character emotional depth, it's James Gunn – just look at movies like "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "The Suicide Squad".

What's Going On Behind the Scenes Right Now

As for the state of production, well, the project is already in full swing! Filming has been underway since April 2026 – under the mysterious working title "Exodus". Gunn is keeping fans entertained with little teasers like an "Exodus bingo" card. This massive project is being shot at the state-of-the-art Trilith Studios in Atlanta, for example, as well as at locations in Cincinnati and the United Kingdom.

While we're not allowed to show any of the leaked set photos so far, we can reveal this much: Superman's suit has been slightly redesigned – it now looks a bit more muscular, which was a point of criticism from some fans in the previous film. We'll probably see the final look in the first trailer for the new "Superman" movie at the latest – but that's likely still a long way off: "Man of Tomorrow" is set to hit theaters on July 9, 2027.

Our Take on Man of Tomorrow

One thing is certain: the sequel will be a major event for the DCU. Opinions on the DCU's launch film "Superman" remain divided to this day: some appreciate the lighthearted tone typical of James Gunn, while others miss Zack Snyder's uncompromising style. After "Supergirl", "Man of Tomorrow" will likely cement once and for all what we can expect from the DCU – aside from more special entries like the upcoming horror film "Clayface", centered on the Batman villain of the same name. Or the sequel "The Batman: Part II", which will do its own thing either way.