Man of Tomorrow: James Gunn announces the end of filming in a social media post
In the Superman sequel, Clark Kent faces a new adversary
The sequel to "Superman" is getting closer. Director and screenwriter James Gunn has now announced that filming for "Man of Tomorrow" has officially wrapped. He posted a photo on social media of Nicholas Hoult, who plays Lex Luthor, and wrote:
"That's a wrap on principal photography for #ManofTomorrow. Truly a joyful experience and I have immense gratitude to my cast and crew. [...] @nicholashoult jumped in the lake after last shot."
With "Man of Tomorrow," Gunn continues his 2025 "Superman" film. In the sequel, we'll see David Corenswet as Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, among others. Gunn is once again writing the screenplay and directing. He's also producing the film alongside Peter Safran. "Man of Tomorrow" hits theaters on July 9, 2027.
A new enemy for Superman
In "Man of Tomorrow," Clark Kent, aka Superman, must team up with his archenemy Lex Luthor. The reason: This time, the DC superhero faces a new, overwhelming threat – the highly intelligent android Brainiac. German actor Lars Eidinger will take on the role of the villain. A few months ago, Gunn commented on what we can expect from the new antagonist. He posted a picture of the character on social media and explained:
"Brainiac is what happens when intelligence loses ALL connection to humanity. And Superman is as human as anyone, so… I get why they have beef."
In fact, Gunn's interpretation of Superman is one of the most human we've seen on screen so far. In his film adaptation, the hero – played by David Corenswet – was, of course, still endowed with superhuman abilities. But Superman also showed weaknesses, was vulnerable, and revealed in a memorable discussion with his great love, Lois Lane, that he can be quite thin-skinned at times.
High pressure for the Man of Tomorrow
This resonated with critics – and with audiences as well: The blockbuster grossed $618 million at the global box office. Nevertheless, the sequel, "Man of Tomorrow," is likely to face enormous pressure. After all, another film from the DC Universe – Craig Gillespie's "Supergirl" – recently hit theaters. And that turned out to be a colossal box office flop. It started with a weak opening: On its first weekend, the superhero film – starring Milly Alcock as Superman's cousin – grossed a mere $62 million at the global box office. In the end, it grossed a mere $126 million – not even enough to recoup the production budget. To find out whether the film can still impress in terms of quality, check out our META review of "Supergirl."
Superman fans, however, have more to look forward to than just "Man of Tomorrow." A spin-off of Gunn's "Superman" film adaptation, titled "The People v. Gorilla Grodd," was recently officially commissioned as a series. As in the movie, Skyler Gisondo will once again take on the role of Jimmy Olsen, who works at the Daily Planet as Clark Kent's colleague. The premise of the new DC series is unusual: "The People v. Gorilla Grodd" is a mockumentary, that centers on a highly intelligent ape who is found guilty of murder. The victim: his father, the King of Gorilla City. And that's where Jimmy Olsen comes in, as he reopens the case. It certainly sounds like a crime series with a twist.