DC will set a special milestone with James Gunn's upcoming Superman 2, tying back to the Man of Steel himself. Officially titled Man of Tomorrow, this Superman sequel marks the latest piece of connective tissue in the new DCU, adding to David Corenswet's legacy as Clark Kent following the release of his first film. It is especially monumental when considering the influx of Kryptonian adventures being developed for this franchise as well.
Man of Tomorrow was officially announced for development in September 2025 and will be released in theaters on July 9, 2027. This marks the first time in DC history that three films centered on heroes from the House of El have been released theatrically in three consecutive years.
The new DC Universe kicked off in theaters with Superman's release on July 11, 2025, starring Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Next, Supergirl (which Gunn recently compared to one of his other comic book movies) will soar into theaters on June 26, 2026, with Milly Alcock leading the cast as Kara Zor-El. 2027 will mark the third year in a row with a House of El-centric project, thanks to Man of Tomorrow's debut.
The DCEU from the 2010s came close to making this happen on two separate occasions. Henry Cavill's Superman played a leading role in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice before returning for a second consecutive year in 2017's Justice League. He also appeared as Superman in both 2022's Black Adam and 2023's The Flash, while Brad Abramenko had an uncredited appearance as Clark Kent in Peacemaker Season 1 (2022). Although Cavill returned to reprise his role in 2021's Zack Snyder's Justice League, this film was only released on HBO Max rather than in theaters.
The 1980s almost accomplished this feat, with Christopher Reeve's Superman II and Superman III being released in 1981 and 1983, respectively. Then, in 1984, Helen Slater's Supergirl came to theaters only one year after Reeve's Superman threequel. Warner Bros. Animation made this happen in three consecutive years from 2018 to 2020 with the releases of The Death of Superman, Reign of Superman, and Superman: Red Son.
Man of Tomorrow was greenlit for production less than two months after its predecessor, Superman, was released in theaters. The film will bring back David Corenswet's Clark Kent and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, pitting them together against an undisclosed bigger threat.
Superman's Impact on the DCU's Future
Looking ahead at the DCU's upcoming schedule, which continues in 2026 after the end of Peacemaker Season 2, the House of El's impact cannot be understated. Considering the next two years both have Superman-related projects set for release in theaters, Corenswet, Alcock, and their supporting actors will help drive the DCU forward more than almost anyone.
Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters resumes with Lanterns early in the year, diverting to the Green Lanterns' corner of the DC Universe. Along with Clayface's release in September 2026, which will dive into Batman's side of the story, Supergirl should be next year's most prominent DCU project with its prime release slot in the middle of the summer (see more on Supergirl's genre here).
As of writing, Man of Tomorrow is the only DCU project confirmed for a 2027 release date. Even when the schedule is filled out with more projects (potentially including entries like Booster Gold, Creature Commandos Season 2, and/or Paradise Lost), the Superman sequel is expected to be DC Studios' headlining effort for the year.
Following excellent reviews and a decent box office haul for the first Superman movie, fans expect the Kryptonians to be key cogs in the DC Studios machine.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
