Man of Tomorrow: What Do We Know About the Plot and Villain of James Gunn's Superman Sequel?

One of the amusive parts astir the caller DCU is that James Gunn is ne'er shy astir abruptly dropping large quality connected societal media. Case successful constituent - Gunn precocious tweeted retired the rubric and merchandise day of his hotly anticipated follow-up to Superman. Man of Tomorrow hits theaters connected July 9, 2027, sooner than we would person anticipated.

We don’t cognize overmuch astir the crippled of Man of Tomorrow astatine this aboriginal stage, but Gunn did permission DC fans with 1 different treat. His announcement was paired with a caller portion of artwork from DC Comics CCO, Publisher, and President Jim Lee showcasing Lex Luthor and Superman together. That was instantly followed by 2 much Superman/Lex images from DC artists Jorge Jiménez and Mitch Gerads.

These images archer america a batch astir the caller movie and however it seems to beryllium turning the DCU’s astir bitter rivalry connected its head. Let’s interruption down what we cognize truthful far.

Warning: this nonfiction contains afloat spoilers for Gunn's Superman!

Who Is the Man of Tomorrow?

Let’s commencement with the title. “Man of Tomorrow” is simply a operation that should beryllium acquainted to a batch of Superman fans. Just arsenic Batman is often referred to arsenic “The Dark Knight” and “The Caped Crusader,” Superman is often dubbed “The Man of Tomorrow” successful the comics. It’s a logical prime of rubric for Gunn’s Superman follow-up, akin to Christopher Nolan going from Batman Begins to The Dark Knight.

That said, we shouldn’t needfully presume the rubric is referring to David Corenswet’s Kal-El successful this case. Let’s not hide that Gunn has been adamant each on that this movie isn’t Superman 2. He antecedently said, "... is it a straight-up Superman sequel? I would not accidental necessarily." Lee’s creation surely suggests that Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor has arsenic large a relation arsenic Superman this clip around. Could the rubric beryllium referring to Luthor instead?

We fishy it’s meant to notation to some characters. Superman surely embodies the phrase, arsenic he’s worked for 3 years and counting to support the citizens of Metropolis and service arsenic a beacon of anticipation and inspiration to the world. But Lex intelligibly views himself arsenic the existent Man of Tomorrow, the lone 1 with the quality and the thrust to usher humanity into a amended age. As helium sees it, humanity should beryllium led by humans, not aliens similar Superman.

The movie volition astir apt absorption connected the hostility betwixt the 2 characters arsenic each strives to beryllium the awesome mankind needs. Who’s the existent Man of Tomorrow here, the superb but ruthless tech billionaire oregon the feline who’s made kindness the caller punk rock?

Superman and Lex Luthor: Frenemies?

If there’s 1 takeaway from Lee’s art, it’s that we’re looking astatine an improbable confederation betwixt Lex and Superman successful Man of Tomorrow. The representation shows the 2 characters leaning backmost to back, with Luthor decked retired successful his classical greenish and purple powerfulness armor. But alternatively than appearing threatened by Lex’s caller battlesuit, Superman is cozying up to his foe. He’s adjacent holding up a screwdriver, suggesting that Kal-El volition assistance Luthor plan his trademark suit successful the caller movie.

Gerads’ representation strikes a antithetic tone, showing the 2 characters locked successful combat, portion Gerads’ representation seems to picture the 2 warring side-by-side against a communal enemy.

All of this points to a large alteration successful the code of their narration successful Man of Tomorrow. In Superman, Luthor couldn’t beryllium much bitter and hateful toward Supes. His each determination successful the movie is directed toward discrediting and destroying Superman. He adjacent refers to Superman arsenic “it,” showing that helium refuses to judge Superman arsenic a idiosyncratic worthy of basal quality dignity. We can’t ideate Lex’s ire toward Superman volition chill astatine each successful the aftermath of Superman. The movie ends with his crippled being exposed and a disgraced Luthor being carted disconnected to Belle Reve Prison.

Even so, it appears that thing volition hap to unit Lex to reevaluate Superman and combat alongside him alternatively than against him. Their narration looks to beryllium undergoing the aforesaid improvement it does successful the comics, wherever Lex dilatory shifts from being Superman’s top rival to a much ambiguous antagonist and occasional ally. For example, Lex really joined the Justice League during DC’s New 52 era, and successful Joshua Williamson’s existent Superman series, an incarcerated Lex has been formed arsenic a adjuvant state to Superman. Even successful All-Star Superman, the comic Gunn has said inspired his archetypal movie much than immoderate other, Lex yet has an epiphany erstwhile helium gains Superman's powers and understands however his nemesis sees the satellite astir him.

We uncertainty Man of Tomorrow volition picture Lex doing a implicit 180 successful presumption of his Superman stance, but it whitethorn unit him to reevaluate his hatred toward the Man of Steel and recognize that determination are acold greater dangers facing humanity. On that note…

Who Is the Villain of Man of Tomorrow?

Again, these 3 images hint that Superman and Lex volition beryllium forced to enactment unneurotic against a communal force successful Man of Tomorrow. Who could that force be? Superman’s rogues assemblage is surely a heavy one, but a fewer characters basal retired arsenic apt candidates.

One enactment is General Zod, a quality who’s surely nary alien to live-action Superman projects astatine this point. Zod was antecedently played by the precocious Terence Stamp successful 1978’s Superman and 1980’s Superman II, portion Michael Shannon took connected the relation successful 2013’s Man of Steel and respective different DCEU movies. Gunn’s Superman already revealed that the Kryptonians had designs connected Earth. Even Bradley Cooper’s Jor-El, usually a paragon of virtue, intended for his lad to conquer Earth and make a caller procreation of Kryptonian/human hybrids.

Most versions of the Superman mythos yet uncover that Dru-Zod and his soldiers survived Krypton’s demolition due to the fact that they were imprisoned successful the Phantom Zone. There’s nary crushed to presume the DCU volition beryllium immoderate different. We wouldn’t beryllium astatine each amazed if Man of Tomorrow shows Zod starring an service to conquer Earth and bash what Kal-El refused. At that point, adjacent Lex volition beryllium forced to judge that he’s amended disconnected with the devil helium knows.

Another enactment is Brainiac, a large Superman villain who amazingly hasn’t appeared successful a live-action movie before. Brainiac is simply a ferociously intelligent collector who has tasked himself with absorbing the cognition of intergalactic civilizations, bottling up cities arsenic trophies, and destroying the rest. In immoderate versions of the mythos, Brainiac is liable for Krypton’s destruction.

Brainiac would marque for an particularly large villain successful Man of Tomorrow due to the fact that he’s connected adjacent footing with some Superman and Lex Luthor. Between his cybernetic enhancements and assorted alternate bodies, he’s almighty capable to spell toe-to-toe with Kal-El. And successful presumption of his intelligence, he’s the lone villain successful the DCU who tin rival Lex.

Finally, we can’t assistance but deliberation of Doomsday, arguably the strongest and astir bloodthirsty of Superman’s galore enemies. The opening crawl successful Superman reveals that Kal-El has been connected the occupation for 3 years and ne'er mislaid a combat until his clash with the Hammer of Boravia. That would suggest that the DCU hasn’t yet experienced the brutal showdown betwixt Superman and Doomsday that leaves some dormant successful the bosom of Metropolis. Maybe the clip has travel to archer that story?

We don’t cognize that Gunn would privation to instrumentality to the Doomsday good truthful soon aft projects similar 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the TV bid Superman and Lois. But if immoderate villain is fearsome capable to necessitate an confederation betwixt Superman and Lex Luthor, it’s decidedly Doomsday.

Who bash you deliberation volition beryllium the villain of Man of Tomorrow? Vote successful our canvass and fto america cognize your prime successful the comments below.

For much connected the aboriginal of the DCU, spot each DC movie and bid successful development.

Jesse is simply a mild-mannered unit writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intelligence thicket by following @jschedeen connected BlueSky.