James Gunn Confirms MAN OF TOMORROW Story: Superman and Lex Luthor Join Forces Against Bigger Threat

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has offered up new details about Man of Tomorrow, the highly anticipated follow-up to last year’s Superman. The filmmaker confirmed that Clark Kent and Lex Luthor won’t just be facing off this time, they’ll also be forced to fight side by side against a much deadlier villain.

In Superman, audiences were introduced to Metropolis, the staff of The Daily Planet, and the Justice Gang. Lex Luthor made his grand debut as the DCU’s big bad, though Ultraman did most of the heavy lifting when it came to the action.

By the end, Lex nearly leveled the city and wound up headed to Belle Reve, but we always knew that wouldn’t be the last we’d see of him.

The rematch between Clark and Lex is coming sooner than expected in 2027’s Man of Tomorrow, and this time the criminal mastermind will be donning his iconic green and purple War Suit. Early promo art teased Superman clashing with Lex, and now Gunn has confirmed the two will have to form an uneasy alliance.

Speaking with Howard Stern, Gunn revealed:

"I am creating the Superman sequel that we’re starting to shoot in April or so. It's a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat."

That “much, much bigger threat” hasn’t been named, but fans are already pointing to Brainiac. Not only has the villain been at the top of Superman fans’ wish lists for years, but the title Man of Tomorrow could just as easily apply to Brainiac as it does to Superman and Lex.

If Brainiac does show up, it’s possible that Supergirl, the next chapter in the “Superman Saga,” will start setting the stage for him as well.

The Superman Saga is expected to unfold across four films, so if Man of Tomorrow introduces Brainiac and the Bottle City of Kandor, the arc could be leading toward an epic finale where Kryptonians invade Earth.

Filming is set to begin in April 2026, which interestingly overlaps with production on The Batman Part II. However, Gunn has made it clear that Matt Reeves’ Batman films will remain “Elseworlds,” so fans shouldn’t expect any crossover between the two franchises.

When asked how much of the script he’s completed, Gunn explained, "All of it. Just in the necessary and lengthy stage or rewriting and rewriting some more. It's been a lot of fun. Trying to get some done now before Peacemaker airs because we like to watch it as soon as it comes on."

The film is scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027.