James Gunn Teases MAN OF TOMORROW's "Heroic" Lex Luthor And Reveals Why It’s Less "Comic Booky" Than Superman
DC Studios co-CEO and director James Gunn is pulling back the curtain on Man of Tomorrow, and one of the biggest surprises he’s teasing is the film’s take on Lex Luthor.
This time around, Clark Kent and Lex won’t just be adversaries, they’ll be forced to team up against a greater threat, with Gunn revealing that the movie will dig into a more complex and even heroic side of the iconic villain.
When audiences last saw Lex, he was on his way to Belle Reve after his destructive attempt to bring down Superman in Metropolis. But Man of Tomorrow will throw him into the action once again, this time donning his green and purple War Suit straight out of the comics.
The question is, will this mark a rare turn for Lex as a true hero? Gunn says that’s exactly what he’s interested in exploring. Speaking with The Ringer-Verse, the filmmaker explained:
"I think I'm just more interested in getting into the heart of Lex and seeing how he fits into all of this. I think getting to know more of Lex as a human being.
“We saw a lot about the evil part of Lex. He's pretty evil. He, as a character, is really interesting. There's something, despite everything, that is incredibly heroic about Lex."
He continued by pointing out what makes the character so compelling despite his villainy:
"Take aside morality, which is hard to do, but here is this guy who is saying, 'You can hold up a building.
“You can shoot down planes with your eyes. F*** you, I'm going to kick your ass because I'm better than you. I can't help but admire his tenacity and his ego. His ambition is beyond compare. He's the underdog.
"Yeah, sure, he's got a lot of corporate power that he can use to manipulate things, but he can't fly into outer space, lift up a building, or punch something across three states. He's a guy, and I f***ing love that."
This exploration of Lex’s humanity will be a key focus of Man of Tomorrow, with Gunn making it clear that the film has a different tone from Superman. According to Gunn:
"Superman is more comic booky in some ways," while the sequel "has to do with the dual characters of Lex and Superman at the centre."
Alongside Clark and Lex, the Daily Planet staff and the Justice Gang are expected to return, with Peacemaker also playing an important role in setting the stage. Gunn has previously called the Max series a prequel to Man of Tomorrow, confirming that its season 2 finale is crucial to the setup.
"I want to make sure people can pick up and watch something without having to see something before it. That said, episode 8 is as important to Man of Tomorrow as anything."
While fans don’t know exactly how Peacemaker will connect, the leading theory is that A.R.G.U.S. turns to Lex to help with the Quantum Unfolding Chamber, potentially freeing him from Belle Reve and setting the stage for his unlikely alliance with Superman.
We’ll find out how it all plays out when Man of Tomorrow hits theaters on July 9, 2027.