2027's Superman: Man of Tomorrow could have a big issue after one star from Supergirl stepped away from the Hollywood scene for the foreseeable future. While Supergirl became one of DC Studios' most disappointing releases, the franchise will continue in full force with James Gunn's Man of Tomorrow on July 9, 2027. However, after a recent development, part of that story may have to be changed from what fans saw in the comics.
In a now-deleted series of posts on Threads (reported by Deadline), Supergirl star David Krumholtz said he will take "an indefinite break" from Hollywood after being "frustrated, fed up, [and] fried" by the industry. Feeling "a huge wave of relief" after making this decision, he shared that he has received plenty of "love and encouragement" from people after dropping this news but explained that the "profession has lost its gleam."
He clarified that he was "not quitting entirely" but rather "just taking a bit of a step back and an indefinite break." He now ponders whether he has "a higher calling to pursue" during this lifestyle change.
Krumholtz was last seen on the big screen in 2026's Supergirl, in which he played Kara Zor-El's father, Zor-El, who was also the uncle of David Corenswet's Clark Kent/Superman (who played a supporting role in Supergirl). Zor-El was one of the foremost scientists on Argo, which was separated from Krypton after its destruction. However, the movie never showed whether he died after the radiation poisoning via Kryptonite, meaning DC Studios could have brought him back for Man of Tomorrow.
DC Studios co-CEO and director James Gunn is currently busy filming Man of Tomorrow, which will be the fourth movie released in this franchise. Led by David Corenswet (Superman), Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), and Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), the story will focus on Superman and Lex having to work together to take down an even bigger threat when Lars Eidinger's Brainiac comes to Earth.
Krumholtz Zor-El Could Have Played A Big Part In James Gunn's Man of Tomorrow
In the New 52 run from DC Comics in the 2010s, Argo City is unable to sustain itself after the Kryptonite poisoning, and Zor-El is the only survivor remaining when Brainiac finds the city. From here, Brainiac turns Zor-El into Cyborg Superman, erasing his memory and giving him the physical appearance and voice of his late brother, Jor-El.
However, Zor-El is not compliant in this, becoming obsessed with achieving perfection and recovering his memory. He even fights Supergirl, who gives him the "Cyborg Superman" nickname, before rebelling against Brainiac. While he is defeated and left for dead, his memories are restored after his system reboots, leaving him ashamed of what he had done, and leading him to try to bring Argo City back.
Since Brainiac is confirmed to be Man of Tomorrow's core antagonist, it was possible that James Gunn's movie might have had him finding Krumholtz Zor-El and reviving him as Cyborg Superman. Known for collecting planets as his trophies, many were thinking that Brainiac might do this to Argo City. It would also have more concretely connected the movie to Supergirl, showing the ramifications of Krypton's destruction.
Cyborg Superman was also featured prominently in Season 3 of My Adventures with Superman on Adult Swim, suggesting DC may have wanted to bring the character into live action after putting him on viewers' radar in this series.
If James Gunn still plans on adapting this Cyborg Superman storyline in Man of Tomorrow, he could also possibly recast Krumholtz with another actor.
Krumholtz's decision to step away from Hollywood may prompt tough choices for James Gunn and his team regarding Zor-El if they want to keep using him. It is also still unclear if his character is alive, as Supergirl never specified whether he was killed after sending Kara to Earth to live with Clark. These questions and many more will hopefully be answered when Man of Tomorrow debuts next summer.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer. 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.
