James Gunn Shares Towering Stack of Storyboards as MAN OF TOMORROW Edges Toward Production
The DCU is shifting back into gear as James Gunn gives fans a peek inside the early creative grind of Man of Tomorrow, the highly anticipated Superman sequel that will see Clark Kent and Lex Luthor team up to take on the looming threat of Brainiac.
The filmmaker took to Instagram to show off a massive pile of storyboards for the upcoming movie. At first glance it just looks like an intimidating stack of paper, but if you zoom in you can spot a tiny sketch sitting on top.
The tease is exactly the kind of playful nudge fans love. Gunn simply captioned the image, "New stack of storyboards ready for the crew Monday morning."
While Man of Tomorrow isn’t scheduled to start filming until next April according to several sources, Gunn passing these materials to the team signals that pre production is moving full steam ahead. With the holidays coming up, it’s clear he’s wasting no time getting this next chapter of the “Superman Saga” in motion.
Gunn has kept story specifics hidden, but the sequel is expected to be a major piece of his broader DCU plans. Organizations like Checkmate and Salvation, which appeared in Peacemaker Season 2, are said to carry into the film as the universe continues to expand.
Reflecting on lessons learned from Superman, Gunn recently talked about how his experimentation with flying sequences is shaping this next installment.
"I did a lot of experimental stuff with shooting flying, and I think I learned a lot about what worked and what didn't work as well," he said when discussing how his approach is evolving.
"And so one of the things I'm the most excited about are these few action sequences in Man of Tomorrow. And so putting those together has been really fun."
He added that each project teaches him something new. "I always learn a lot with every movie in terms of what works and what doesn't. I think the proof of concept worked in terms of who Superman was.
“And then, there are things that I think that can be improved. And not only improved, but just different," he explained. "I like my movies to be different. Guardians 1 is not the same as Guardians 3. They're different."
He continues: "And Man of Tomorrow will not be the same as Superman. And it is Lex's story too, so it's the two of them. That colors it in a totally different way," confirming that Lex Luthor’s viewpoint will shape much of the narrative.
Written and directed by Gunn, Man of Tomorrow stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent and Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders Hawkgirl, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.
Several fan favorite characters have been rumored to join them, including John Stewart’s Green Lantern, played by Aaron Pierre, and John Cena returning as Peacemaker. There is also talk that casting for the DCU’s Wonder Woman may surface soon, and Claes Bang has been floated as a possible contender for Brainiac.
Man of Tomorrow soars into theaters on July 9, 2027.