The decades-long enmity between Superman and Lex Luthor was renewed on the big screen this summer, with David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult stepping into the iconic roles. However, in their next adventure, they’ll be doing the unthinkable: teaming up. Writer/director James Gunn has just revealed that the duo will work together to face a common foe in Man of Tomorrow, which will hit theaters on July 9, 2027.
In an interview with Howard Stern on his Sirius XM radio program, Gunn discussed DC’s slate of upcoming films. Notably, he provided new details for Man of Tomorrow, the movie he announced last week. The film, which is not exactly a sequel to this summer’s Superman, is “a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat. It’s more complicated than that but that’s a big part of it.” Gunn went on to explain that Man of Tomorrow is, “…as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie. I loved working with Nicholas Hoult. I relate to the character of Lex, sadly. I really wanted to create something extraordinary with the two of them. I just love the script so much.” Gunn also revealed that the film is set to begin production in April 2026.
Have Superman and Lex Luthor Teamed Up Before?
Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) reunites with Clark Kent (Tom Welling) in the ‘Smallville’ series finale “Finale.”
Image via The CW
As Luthor’s primary motivation is his single-minded hatred of the Man of Steel, one can imagine that their team-ups are sparing, if any. However, in Luthor’s origin from the Silver Age of comics, the two were once close friends. As revealed in 1960’s Adventure Comics #271, by Jerry Siegel and Al Plastino, Luthor spent his boyhood in Smallville, Kansas, and befriended Clark Kent, who was then adventuring as Superboy. However, one of Luthor’s experiments went awry, catching fire and rendering Luthor permanently bald. Superboy saved him, but Luthor blamed him for the accident, kicking off a lifelong hatred of the superhero. Although most adaptations of the characters eschew that backstory, that origin was adapted for the WB TV series Smallville, making Clark (Tom Welling) and Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) teenage friends before their destinies diverged. The comics have occasionally teamed the two up, typically to face an existential threat to Earth like Brainiac, the Sun-Eater, or Imperiex.
Apart from the returns of Corenswet and Hoult as unlikely allies, little is known so far about Man of Tomorrow. However, Isabela Merced and Edi Gathegi, who played Justice Gang members Hawkgirl and Mr. Terrific in Superman, reacted positively to the announcement of the film on social media, indicating that their characters may be set to return, as well.
Man of Tomorrow will premiere in theaters on July 9, 2027. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.