A Villain Worthy of a New Era
The DCU is about to play its biggest card yet. James Gunn has confirmed that Superman: Man of Tomorrow—slated to release on July 9, 2027—won’t simply rehash old grudges. Instead, Superman and Lex Luthor will be forced into an uneasy alliance against what Gunn calls “a much, much bigger threat.” Bigger than Ultraman. Bigger than the standard DCU fare so far. The phrase alone stirs decades of comic-book paranoia: who could possibly demand such a truce?
The Five Most Likely Contenders
Brainiac: The Collector of Worlds
For years, fans have begged to see Brainiac adapted properly—an alien intellect who bottles civilizations, reduces cities like Kandor to toys, and forces Superman to fight with more than his fists. Gunn has admitted Brainiac was once on the table for Superman, which makes the android’s shadow loom even larger here. Pairing him with Lex feels almost inevitable; the villain is too cerebral to waste.
Mongul: Warworld’s Tyrant
Mongul doesn’t shrink cities. He burns them. As master of Warworld, he’s the kind of villain who drags entire planets into his orbit of conquest. Imagine Superman barely holding him off, while Lex Luthor—reluctantly—supplies the tactics to keep Earth breathing. It’s operatic, gladiatorial sci-fi, and Gunn thrives on spectacle like this.
Bizarro: The Twisted Reflection
Ultraman’s black-hole exit left a dangling thread. Could Gunn spin it into Bizarro, Superman’s fractured mirror image? He’s been handled as both tragic and ridiculous across comics, but the potential for Corenswet to play against himself—this time as a corrupted parody—feels tempting. Still, it may be too soon to return to the “dark Superman” well.
General Zod: Again?
Yes, Zod has already been around the cinematic block. Christopher Reeve battled him. Henry Cavill battled him. Michael Shannon reprised him in The Flash just last year. Which is exactly why he’s unlikely to headline Man of Tomorrow. Gunn needs fresher blood, not a Kryptonian rerun.
Lobo: The Wild Card
Lobo is chaos incarnate—an intergalactic mercenary who’d rather crush bones on his space bike than strategize. And with Jason Momoa already confirmed as Lobo in 2026’s Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the timeline lines up almost too perfectly. He could ride in guns blazing, setting the tone for Gunn’s interconnected DCU with swagger and brutality.
Why This Matters Beyond Villains
Here’s the trick: the villain matters less than what it unlocks. Gunn isn’t just choosing a big bad. He’s carving out the mythology of his Gods and Monsters chapter. By pairing Superman and Lex against something existential, he reframes Luthor—not as a caricatured mad genius, but as a man who knows Earth’s enemies better than anyone. It humanizes him, even as it terrifies us.
And that’s where Gunn excels. He digs into pulp with sincerity, then refracts it back with humor and humanity. He did it with Guardians of the Galaxy. He did it with The Suicide Squad. He’ll try to do it again here, anchoring Superman in a DCU that finally has forward momentum.
FAQs About Man of Tomorrow
When does Superman: Man of Tomorrow release?
The film is set for July 9, 2027, with production beginning in 2026.
Who stars in the sequel?
David Corenswet returns as Superman, with Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
Where does it fit in the DCU?
It’s part of Gunn’s Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters, following the events of Superman (2025) and Peacemaker Season 2.
What We Learned So Far
- Villain teased, not revealed. Gunn promises a “much, much bigger threat” than Ultraman.
- Release date locked. Man of Tomorrow hits theaters July 9, 2027.
- Superman + Lex alliance. Expect uneasy teamwork against a cosmic or existential force.
- Five likely candidates. Brainiac, Mongul, Bizarro, Zod, and Lobo top the fan lists.
- Lobo already cast. Jason Momoa debuts as Lobo in Supergirl (2026), making his sequel appearance plausible.
Man of Tomorrow isn’t just another cape-and-cowl showdown—it’s the chance for Gunn to set the tone for Superman’s modern mythology. Whether it’s Brainiac’s bottled worlds or Lobo’s space carnage, the villain is just the vessel. The real story? How Superman and Lex Luthor look each other in the eye, see the reflection of fear, and—for once—fight on the same side.
So, what do you think: should Gunn aim for Brainiac’s cold intellect, or unleash Lobo’s chaotic swagger first?
