James Gunn is breaking the mold for Superman movies with his next chapter in the Man of Steel's legacy. Almost no superhero in history has a longer run of big-screen releases than DC's Superman, having taken center stage on the big screen for most of the last eight decades. This continues in the new DC Universe, led by DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, in which David Corenswet's Superman is the leading figure thus far.
DC Studios' Man of Tomorrow, directed and written by James Gunn, will feature the supervillain Brainiac as its main antagonist when it hits theaters on July 9, 2027. Regarded as a Justice League-level big bad, this will be the first time Brainiac has been utilized as the main villain in a live-action theatrically-released DC movie, and he will be played by Lars Eidinger. This will also be the first time a Superman sequel has not featured General Zod, one of Clark Kent's most notable adversaries in DC Comics.
1980's Superman II featured the late Terence Stamp's version of General Zod, who saw the human race as weak and inferior as his insatiable need for power grew, and sought to take down Superman so he could rule the planet.
Michael Shannon's Zod only played a minimal role in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, as he was killed off at the end of 2013's Man of Steel. In the second movie, Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor used Zod's body to create something even more dangerous, resulting in the birth of Doomsday before the alien went after Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman.
Alongside Brainiac, Man of Tomorrow may also bring back María Gabriela de Faría's Engineer, who was a supporting antagonist in 2025's Superman. She was last seen unconscious after Superman slammed her to the ground, suggesting she may have reason to return to action opposite Corenswet's Superman in the next movie.
Rumors also pointed to Man of Tomorrow bringing in the powerful character Maxima, with some believing this will be the character that Andor star Adria Arjona will play. Maxima is known for her obsession with Superman, viewing him as the only man worthy to be her mate and king, which could lead to an epic confrontation if Arjona is truly playing her in Man of Tomorrow.
1983's Superman III took a unique route by pitting the late Christopher Reeve's Superman against an evil version of himself who split off from Clark Kent after causing an oil spill and suffering a nervous breakdown. Clark ultimately defeats his corrupted counterpart by strangling him and repairs the damage caused by the oil spill.
For Reeve's fourth and final Superman movie, 1987's Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Mark Pillow joined the sequel as Nuclear Man (with Gene Hackman providing the voice). Created by Hackman's Lex Luthor, he becomes the physical manifestation of atomic warfare and is thrown into play to challenge Superman.
As mentioned previously, Michael Shannon played one of Superman's most recent adversaries, General Zod, in 2013's Man of Steel. After being banished to the Phantom Zone, he and his followers escaped before coming to Earth in hopes of terraforming the planet into a new version of Krypton.
Will General Zod Show Up in Future DCU Projects?
James Gunn has shown no hesitation in utilizing DC villains that have been used more than once in past movies. He already proved this by using Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor in 2025's Superman immediately after Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal in the DCEU, and Hoult's version is confirmed to play a big role in the DCU's immediate future.
Considering this, Gunn may just be holding back on returning to Zod until a later time to move further past Shannon's recent work in the DCEU. Man of Tomorrow will also further open the door to the alien/off-world side of the DC Universe with Brainiac, which could lead to more of Krypton's history being explored in future movies, after it was set up in 2026's Supergirl.
Gunn may also want to use Zod as an even bigger villain in a later Superman movie, avoiding the possibility of giving Clark Kent his toughest physical adversary until he is more established as a hero. Regardless of the specifics, Zod is likely to be brought back into play at some point, though fans are still waiting to see what the broader DCU slate will look like after 2027.
