Superman 2: Man of Tomorrow is assembling a stacked roster of Justice League-affiliated heroes, and one of them is an exciting up-and-coming DCU hero. Directed and written by James Gunn, Man of Tomorrow serves as the follow-up to 2025's Superman, shifting the focus from origin story to an unexpected alliance between Superman and Lex Luthor as they work together against Brainiac. The DCU villain's arrival on Earth is widely expected to trigger a full-scale invasion, a crisis of such magnitude that Clark and Lex cannot face alone. This situation requires a broader coalition of heroes, many of them with deep roots in Justice League lore.
Man of Tomorrow, set for release on July 9, 2027, will bring back Xolo Maridueña's Jaime Reyes (aka Blue Beetle), marking a notable bridge between the DCEU's final days and the rebooted DCU. Superman 2 director James Gunn had long positioned Jaime Reyes as "the first DCU character," and his inclusion in a story that pairs Superman with Lex Luthor against Brainiac expands the DCU sequel's toward an emerging ensemble.
Jaime's inclusion in Man of Tomorrow feels organic because the young DC hero has repeatedly intersected with the Justice League's various iterations, even though he is more closely associated with the Teen Titans or Young Justice.
In DC Comics, Jaime first bonded with the Reach scarab during the Infinite Crisis era and quickly found himself pulled into larger team dynamics. Following his early solo adventures and a stint with the Teen Titans, Blue Beetle crossed paths with former members of the Justice League International in Justice League: Generation Lost to hunt down a newly resurrected Maxwell Lord. In the New 52 continuity, Booster Gold even invited Blue Beetle to be a member of Justice League International, but it was short-lived after being decimated by the Brother Eye.
Blue Beetle's inclusion in Man of Tomorrow echoes those comic dynamics, with him as a relatively new hero stepping into a crisis already involving established powerhouses and complicated alliances (similar to how Tom Holland's MCU Spider-Man was introduced in 2016's Captain America: Civil War).
Superman is expected to be front and center once again in Man of Tomorrow. As a founding member of the Justice League, Brainiac may be forced to confront the reality that he cannot face this threat alone, prompting him to assemble a team of DCU heroes.
Superman has been a core presence in every iteration of the Justice League, leading teams ranging from the classic satellite-era League to the more fractured post-Crisis and New 52 teams. The Man of Steel often serves as the figure who holds the group together when personalities clash or cosmic threats escalate.
Another confirmed Kryptonian hero set to appear in Man of Tomorrow is Milly Alcock's Supergirl. Kara Zor-El reunited with Clark at the end of her 2026 DCU solo film, setting up her significant role in 2027's Superman 2.
Supergirl's history with the Justice League is more intermittent but no less significant. Kara has joined formal rosters in various eras, most notably during the Cry for Justice period and later in post-Flashpoint and Infinite Frontier iterations of the team. In the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), Kara became a member of the expanded Justice League in Justice League: Unlimited.
2026's Supergirl movie established that this version of Kara is distinct from Corenswet's, setting up tension that carries into the next major DCU crossover, where team dynamics are expected to take center stage.
As the leader of the Justice Gang, it is a no-brainer that Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner will return in Man of Tomorrow. Gardner's stint with the Justice League in the comics was defined solely by the Justice League International era. Following the original team's fracture, Guy became a founding member of the more international and far more dysfunctional team under Maxwell Lord's influence.
The DCU's version of Guy already leaned into the character's abrasive personality from the comics, positioning him as the kind of hero who forces the Justice League to confront its own egos. 2025's Superman already offered a clear taste of the chaos he brings to group dynamics, and his continued presence suggests he will play a similarly disruptive yet essential role once the DCU's Justice League fully takes shape.
John Stewart's path to the Justice League was slower in the comics than in the animated series. He was created as a backup Green Lantern, eventually stepping into full-time status and becoming a reliable member of the League across multiple eras. Stewart's military discipline and architectural mind have often made him the Justice League's pragmatic strategist, the one who builds structure when chaos threatens to overwhelm the team.
Stewart's backstory in Lanterns closely echoes the comics, grounding him as a former Marine with a sharp tactical intellect. That same steady presence is exactly what Man of Tomorrow appears ready to highlight, positioning John Stewart as a crucial addition to the escalating Brainiac conflict.
Isabel Merced's Hawkgirl is set for a major comeback in Man of Tomorrow. Hawkgirl is perhaps one of the most prominent members of the Justice League in both the comics and animation. Her membership spans multiple identities and timelines, whether as the Thanagarian Shayera Hol or the reincarnated Kendra Saunders.
As a member of the Justice League, Hawkgirl brings her Nth-metal weapons and warrior prowess to the team, providing a counterbalance to more cerebral and cosmic members. Merced's Hawkgirl is expected to be on the front lines in the fight against Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, adding aerial firepower and deeply rooted battlefield experience to Superman's team.
Mr. Terrific served as the scene-stealer and fan favorite in Superman, and his return in Man of Tomorrow is certain to expand that impact. With his genius-level intellect and proven ability to navigate chaos with calm precision, Mr. Terrific is set to serve as the strategic backbone of the growing ensemble against Brainiac, continuing the character's long comic book history as a mainstay of both the Justice League and the Justice Society.
Maxima's inclusion in Man of Tomorrow is still shrouded in mystery, and even her history with the Justice League raises more questions than answers. Maxima, the warrior queen of Almerac, initially viewed Superman as her genetically ideal mate before ultimately clashing and later joining the Justice League of America after helping the fight against Brainiac.
It's possible that the same narrative trajectory for Maxima will be explored in Man of Tomorrow, with her starting off as a villain before eventually joining the heroes to try and defeat Brainiac.
While he is a DC villain, Lex Luthor has worn the Justice League's colors. Following the Forever Evil event, the New 52 Justice League accepted him as a member, partly out of gratitude and partly to keep him under close watch. While his tenure was brief and fraught, which culminated in devastating betrayals, Lex's joining the Justice League remains one of the standout roster choices in the group's history.
Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor already dominated the first Superman film as a clear-cut villain, and forcing him into an uneasy alliance with Superman and the Justice League members in Man of Tomorrow correlates to one of the most audacious turns in the comics.
Which Other Justice League Heroes Might Appear in Man of Tomorrow?
While Man of Tomorrow is already stacking an impressive roster of Justice League-affiliated heroes, a Brainiac invasion leaves the door open for even bigger names.
Justice League founding members like Martian Manhunter or Wonder Woman (who has been rumored to appear in Man of Tomorrow) could easily make brief but impactful appearances, especially if the crisis or invasion expands even further. A quick cameo from the Flash cutting through while destroying Brainiac's forces or a shadowy reference to Batman wouldn't feel out of place.
These kinds of moments wouldn't need to steal focus from the central story in Man of Tomorrow. Instead, they could reinforce just how expansive the rebooted DCU has already become while also laying the groundwork for the DCU's fully formed Justice League.
