James Gunn Teases Lex Luthor’s Team-Up With Superman in MAN OF TOMORROW as He Celebrates the Villain’s Anniversary
Lex Luthor just got a birthday shout-out from DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, and the director used the occasion to drop a fun little tease about what’s coming in Man of Tomorrow.
If you thought Lex was done being a thorn in Superman’s side, think again. Gunn is clearly cooking up something bigger for the DCU’s most notorious mastermind.
Gunn has made a habit of celebrating DC Comics icons on social media, and this time the spotlight landed on Superman’s greatest enemy. But instead of simply honoring the character’s comic book debut, he stirred the pot with a playful hint about Lex’s future alongside the Man of Steel.
In last summer’s Superman, Gunn surprised a lot of fans with his take on Lex Luthor. The character has been reimagined on screen more times than we can count, so expectations were high.
This version, played by Nicholas Hoult, came with some layered ambition, questionable motives, and a long game that clearly wasn’t over. Lex was joined by The Engineer and Ultraman, and we always knew the story was setting the stage for something larger.
That something is Man of Tomorrow.
In the upcoming film, Hoult’s Lex will suit up in his iconic green and purple War Suit straight out of the comics, and he’ll be fighting alongside Superman. The pair will have to put their differences aside to face Brainiac, played by Lars Eidinger, who recently described landing the role as “a true miracle.”
Gunn had some fun with Lex’s public image while marking the villain’s anniversary, writing:
"Happy Birthday to the ambitious and unstoppable CEO and scientist Lex Luthor, who most definitely is NOT a villain, but instead of protector of earth and humanity (he swears on a stack of Bibles). We’ll see how he does working with arch-nemesis Superman in MAN OF TOMORROW, in theaters summer of 27."
"He first appeared in SUPERMAN #4, written by Jerry Siegel, with pencils by Joe Shuster and inks by Paul Cassidy," Gunn concluded.
Gunn has been upfront that Man of Tomorrow isn’t just Superman’s movie. It’s Lex’s story too. That doesn’t mean Luthor is suddenly turning into a cape-wearing hero, but there’s precedent in the comics for him stepping into a more complicated role.
He’s fought alongside the Justice League before. He’s even positioned himself as Metropolis’ so-called “Superman.”
The idea of Clark Kent and Lex Luthor forming an uneasy alliance against Brainiac is a great hook. It opens the door to tension, ego clashes, and the kind of uneasy partnership that could explode at any moment. You know Lex isn’t doing anything without a long-term plan.
Man of Tomorrow is written and directed by Gunn and stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Hoult as Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. Eidinger steps into the role of Brainiac as the film’s primary threat.
There are also reports about appearances from Aaron Pierre as John Stewart/Green Lantern and John Cena as Peacemaker, which could further expand the DCU’s growing roster.
This is going to be a major turning point for the DCU, especially if Gunn is serious about exploring a version of Lex who walks the line between savior and schemer.
Man of Tomorrow hits theaters on July 9, 2027.