DC Studios officially confirmed Man of Tomorrow as the title for its pseudo-Superman 2. With Superman finally out in the wild, director James Gunn has been openly writing a sequel that he intends to direct. The DC Studios flick's exact nature has been unclear, as David Corenswet's Clark Kent was confirmed to play a starring role, but Gunn denied that the movie is Superman 2, per se.
Fans have been eagerly speculating exactly what the DCU sequel will be, with theories ranging from a World's Finest crossover with the next Batman to a Super-Family team-up with Milly Alcock's Supergirl. Regardless, Gunn recently stated the Superman follow-up is the "next movie we are making," indicating that things have been going well for the new script.
Under two months after Superman arrived in theaters, James Gunn confirmed Man of Tomorrow as the much-anticipated sequel he will write and direct. And, not just that, it will be released within two years after the first movie on July 9, 2027, with David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult reprising Superman and Lex Luthor, who will finally be kitted out in his green and purple Warsuit for the sequel.
The Man of Tomorrow is one of many nicknames that Superman has carried over the years in DC Comics. While there have been storylines to include the moniker in the title, such as "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?," it is typically used as a nickname for the character, akin to Man of Steel.
That said, the two Superman nicknames carry vastly different meanings. While Man of Steel refers to his strength, power, and nigh-invincibility, Man of Tomorrow highlights his hopeful ideals, drive for progress, and a better future for humanity, all of which were central themes in James Gunn's Superman.
Interestingly, Gunn has been careful not to refer to the much-anticipated sequel as Superman 2, leading up to its reveal as Man of Tomorrow. He only described the DC superhero as carrying a "major role" in the follow-up but avoided describing him as the movie's lead.
Lex Luthor has always had a drive to better humanity, albeit in a vastly different way from Superman, and may arguably see himself as the "Man of Tomorrow." As such, it seems possible that Nicholas Hoult will, in fact, lead the 2027 flick, now suited up in his iconic green and purple Warsuit.
While fans wait for Superman's theatrical follow-up, a "direct sequel" to the DCU blockbuster is already airing on HBO Max, confirmed James Gunn.
Interestingly, the DCU's next movie, Supergirl, originally carried the Woman of Tomorrow subtitle of the comic storyline on which it was based. One has to wonder if that subtitle was abandoned to avoid similarities to the Man of Tomorrow title.
What Will James Gunn's Man of Tomorrow Be About?
Alongside James Gunn's Superman sequel announcement, stars David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult shared art from other DC Comics icons featuring their characters, with Lex Luthor notably in his new Warsuit.
The first seemed to present Superman and Lex Luthor as a united front, with the former holding a screwdriver to accompany the latter's new high-tech armor.
The second, posted on Instagram by David Corenswet, shows Superman and Lex Luthor ready to fight side-by-side against an unknown threat.
Finally, Nicholas Hoult took to Instagram to highlight Superman and Lex Luthor in the middle of a full-on punch-out through the air, finally having a physical face-off after instead fighting through Ultraman in the 2025 original.
While it seems the DCU archrivals will fight at some point in Man of Tomorrow, this could suggest they may team up against a bigger threat to the planet. This could pull the Justice Gang, Supergirl, and other DCU heroes into the action as well, with Brainiac being just one option for Man of Tomorrow's big bad.
If Luthor redeems himself as humanity's hero in the public eye after Man of Tomorrow, the sequel could set up a U.S. Presidential run, as he has done before in DC Comics. Undoubtedly, this could be game-changing for the DCU and could set up Luthor as the big bad for Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.
