James Gunn has set the direction for his next DC Studios feature, confirming that Superman follow-up Man of Tomorrow will put David Corenswet’s Clark Kent and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor on the same side against a larger, unnamed threat, with cameras expected to roll in April 2026 ahead of a July 9, 2027 theatrical release. Gunn described the film as “as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie” during a recent radio appearance, signaling a story built on uneasy cooperation between rivals rather than a straight rematch.
The filmmaker’s remarks arrive a week after he unveiled the title and date with new art, positioning the film as the second chapter in his “Superman Saga.” Corenswet and Hoult are set to reprise their roles from 2025’s Superman, which reintroduced the character and a gallery of DC figures in a brighter register than recent iterations. Promotional materials and comments from Gunn indicate continuity of cast and tone, while holding back the identity of the overarching antagonist.
Production timing puts Man of Tomorrow on a track that aligns with DC’s wider slate and its TV crossovers. Gunn has said the new season of Peacemaker takes place before the events of the sequel, a choice that keeps characters such as Hawkgirl in circulation and helps stitch the timeline between releases. That approach suggests ongoing interplay among films and series without locking the story into a multiverse sprawl.
The creative reset is buoyed by the first film’s performance. Box office trackers place Superman’s global total at about $614 million, a result that restored momentum for the brand after several soft years for superhero titles and gave DC a commercially viable platform to build from. With the sequel framed as a two-hander between Superman and Lex Luthor, Gunn’s next installment appears intent on escalating stakes while leaning into character dynamics that helped the reboot connect.
