James Gunn's Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, is beginning its story two years early with an HBO Max prequel. The DCU opened with three projects written by the new DC Studios co-CEO, Gunn, in Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker Season 2. These are expected to lay the groundwork for the blue brand's rebooted storyline before 2026 brings projects from other creatives, such as Supergirl, Lanterns, Clayface, and the Blue Beetle animated series.
In the wake of Superman, Gunn began teasing a follow-up project that he will write and direct, which is now confirmed to be Man of Tomorrow. The upcoming blockbuster is set to hit theaters on July 9, 2027, with David Corenswet's Superman and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor in the driver's seat, and other DCU characters already rumored to appear, including John Cena's Peacemaker.
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn took to X to promote Peacemaker Season 2's weekly release on HBO Max, curiously referring to it as "the Man of Tomorrow prequel" after the movie's recent announcement.
Interestingly, Gunn clarified in an Instagram comment section (via Superman Saga News) that Peacemaker Season 2 "directly" sets up Man of Tomorrow, indicating these won't be minor connections to the 2027 blockbuster.
He previously told The Hollywood Reporter that they are "setting up all of the rest of the DCU in this season of Peacemaker," hyping up its storyline as "incredibly important" to everything still to come.
This isn't the first time that Gunn has highlighted Peacemaker's significance in his larger DCU storyline, as he previously called Season 2 a "direct sequel" to Superman. Not only does the HBO Max series bring back some key characters from the DCU blockbuster, it also explores Peacemaker's own interdimensional portal, akin to the technology Lex Luthor used to tear a rift in the planet.
Gunn's comments come after Nexus Point News cited rumors from unverified sources that Cena's Peacemaker will appear in Man of Tomorrow, following Season 2 of his HBO Max series and his cameo in Superman.
Peacemaker Season 2 is currently premiering new episodes every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max, with the final scheduled for October 9.
How Peacemaker Season 2 Will Set Up Man of Tomorrow
Fans had already been theorizing that Lex Luthor could be Peacemaker Season 2's "really, really big cameo." Now that the R-rated HBO Max series is confirmed to be a direct prequel to an upcoming movie in which Luthor will have a leading role, it seems more likely than ever that Nicholas Hoult will appear.
James Gunn ought to be cautious in making Peacemaker too integral to its larger DCU due to its TV-MA rating and adult content. If Season 2 does "directly" set up Man of Tomorrow (which will presumably be PG-13-rated), the studio could risk alienating younger viewers who will miss out on the adult DCU series' teases.
That said, the DCU boss has been clear that every movie and show will still work as a standalone story, so Man of Tomorrow ought to catch viewers up on any important characters and storylines from Peacemaker Season 2.
It's too soon to tell exactly what Man of Tomorrow is all about, but most are expecting Superman and Lex Luthor will face off before uniting against a common threat. Peacemaker could set up how the DCU villain comes to be released from Belle Reve prison and build his iconic green and purple Warsuit, or even point toward what big bad will unite them when the 2027 flick comes around.
Notably, Gunn is taking action to protect secrets in Peacemaker's final three episodes, hinting at "major twists and turns." As such, the big teases for Man of Tomorrow may, in fact, be hiding in Episodes 6, 7, and 8.
