Man of Tomorrow is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting upcoming entries of the DCU. Hitting theaters on July 9, 2027, the film marks the second entry in what James Gunn has deemed “The Superman Saga” and will serve as a follow-up to Superman. A new massive threat will put the Earth in jeopardy during the events of Man of Tomorrow, forcing old enemies to unite in a bid to save humanity.
With filming set to take place early next year, DC Studios still hasn’t announced a full cast list for Man of Tomorrow. However, several actors from previous installments of the DCU have been confirmed to reprise their iconic roles therein. Here is everyone we know who will star in Man of Tomorrow when it soars into theaters in 2027.
Nicholas Hoult Takes Center Stage as Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) in his secret planetwatch headquarters from Superman 2025Warner Bros. /Courtesy Everett Collection
Nicholas Hoult’s villainous Lex Luthor will return in Man of Tomorrow as one of the film’s principal characters, but with a twist. The events of Superman saw Lex suffer a massive fall from grace after his villainous deeds were made public. Disgraced and thrown in prison, everything seemed to be over for Lex until the events of Peacemaker Season 2. After a surprise team-up with Rick Flag, Lex is back in the government’s good graces as he and his men continue to work with A.R.G.U.S. Going into Man of Tomorrow, Lex is no longer a prisoner at Belle Reve and is still working closely with Flag at A.R.G.U.S.
James Gunn has revealed that Man of Tomorrow will feature a team-up between Lex Luthor and Superman, mortal enemies who must join forces when an even bigger threat faces Earth. Although it hasn’t yet been revealed what threat this might be, it must be something truly terrifying if Lex Luthor is willing to put aside his hatred for Superman. Fans should expect Luthor to play an even bigger role in Man of Tomorrow than in Superman, as he takes over as one of the chief protagonists of the film.
David Corenswet Soars Again as Superman
David Corenswet is poised to anchor the entire DC Cinematic Universe following his debut as Clark Kent/Superman earlier this year. While fans can expect to see Superman’s return in upcoming projects like Supergirl, Corenswet’s next confirmed appearance will take place in 2027’s Man of Tomorrow. While the upcoming film is marketed as a follow-up to Superman, it is not a direct sequel, suggesting that Superman will share the spotlight with other major characters, including Lex Luthor.
As previously stated, Man of Tomorrow will feature a surprising team-up between Superman and his archenemy, Lex Luthor. Based on early concept art for the film, Superman will most likely help develop Luthor’s iconic battle armor from the comics (something he may regret when the villain inevitably uses the armor against him). Although not a direct sequel to Superman, audiences can expect to learn much more about David Corenswet’s Man of Steel when he returns in Man of Tomorrow.
Rachel Brosnahan Has a Pivotal Role as Lois Lane
Star reporter Lois Lane is once again set to jump into the world of superheroes, with Rachel Brosnahan confirmed to return in Man of Tomorrow. So far, the DCU has set Lois up as one of its most intriguing characters, who uses her journalistic skills to fight for truth and justice despite her lack of superpowers. Her relationship with Clark Kent is also a highlight of her arc, as she comes to see that a little bit of optimism and good-naturedness can be “punk rock.”
James Gunn has teased Lois Lane’s important role in Man of Tomorrow, though any specifics remain a closely guarded secret for the time being. Nevertheless, audiences should expect Lois to factor heavily into the events of the upcoming film. Given her generally suspicious mindset, Lois most likely won’t be thrilled with Superman’s decision to team up with Lex Luthor and may be the one to finally get to the bottom of what the villain really wants.
Milly Alcock Is Expected To Return as Supergirl
Milly Alcock as Supergirl in supermanImage via DC Studios
Milly Alcock made her debut as Kara Zor-El, a.k.a. Supergirl, in the final scene of Superman, teasing her larger role in the DCU moving forward. The actress is set to return next summer in her own adventure, Supergirl, which will explore Kara’s tragic origins and the destruction of Krypton. Even before her solo film hits theaters, Supergirl’s third DCU appearance is already set, with the character expected to play a pivotal role in 2027’s Man of Tomorrow.
Although James Gunn hasn’t officially confirmed that Supergirl will appear in Man of Tomorrow, several signs point to her inclusion. As the DCU fleshes out the Superman Family, the franchise needs to feature more interactions between Superman and his cousin. Man of Tomorrow would be the best place to feature the team-up, after each has embarked on their own solo adventure in the two years previous. Furthermore, Gunn has teased Supergirl’s major role in the DCU moving forward, suggesting that she wouldn’t sit out of major conflicts such as the one depicted in the upcoming team-up film. Finally, Alcock is listed as part of Man of Tomorrow’s preliminary cast on IMDb. While this is not an official confirmation, it is a good indicator that the actress will indeed appear in the film.
Isabela Merced Will Return as Hawkgirl
Isabela Merced made her DCU debut as Kendra Saunders, a.k.a. Hawkgirl, in Superman, setting up a larger role for the superhero in the future. Hawkgirl is a member of the Justice Gang, a team of superheroes sponsored by billionaire tech mogul Max Lord. She and her teammates join forces with Superman during the events of his solo film to defeat Lex Luthor. Hawkgirl appeared again in Peacemaker Season 2, where it was revealed that the Justice Gang is actively seeking out new members to join their lineup.
Merced confirmed her upcoming appearance in Man of Tomorrow when she commented on James Gunn’s initial social media post announcing the film. Gunn responded to her reply with “see you soon,” indicating that she will indeed appear in the film. This would suggest that the rest of the Justice Gang could also appear in Man of Tomorrow, including Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan’s Metamorpho, and Sean Gunn’s Max Lord.
María Gabriela de Faría Will Most Likely Return as the Engineer
María Gabriela de Faría played a villainous role as Angela Spica, a.k.a. the Engineer, in Superman. Working alongside Lex Luthor and Ultraman, the Engineer was defeated after a battle with Superman, with her fate left a mystery by the end of the film. James Gunn teased in Superman audio commentary that audiences would learn more about the Engineer’s fate in “the next movie,” indicating that she will also join the cast of Man of Tomorrow.
Peacemaker Season 2 reveals that many of Lex Luthor’s former employees, including Otis Berg and Sydney Happerson, have been hired as consultants for A.R.G.U.S. Although the Engineer does not appear in Peacemaker, she may have been included in Lex Luthor’s deal with Rick Flag. This would set up her return in Man of Tomorrow, which could further explore her character and why she hates Superman so much. The film could also help set up The Authority, a team featuring the Engineer that was announced as part of James Gunn’s initial plan for the DCU.
Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. Will Return in Man of Tomorrow
Rick Flag Sr. is setting himself up to become one of the most important non-metahuman characters in the DCU. As the new director of A.R.G.U.S. following Amanda Waller’s demotion, Flag does everything in his power to ensure that metahumans don’t take inordinate control of the world. This leads him to make a deal with the villainous Lex Luthor during the events of Peacemaker Season 2, suggesting that Flag could take on a more antagonistic role in upcoming projects like Man of Tomorrow.
In the upcoming Man of Tomorrow film, audiences can expect to learn more about Rick Flag’s partnership with Lex Luthor, as well as his plans for the new alternate-universe metahuman prison, Salvation, which was introduced in the season finale of Peacemaker. He will also most likely be the one to facilitate Lex and Superman’s team-up in the film, given his high-ranking position in A.R.G.U.S.
Other Actors to Expect in Man of Tomorrow
John Stewart and Hal Jordan walking down the street in civilian cothes from Lanterns-1Image via DC Studios
While several actors have been confirmed to return in Man of Tomorrow, DC still hasn’t revealed the full cast list. However, there are several actors who have a strong chance of appearing in the upcoming film. High on this list is Aaron Pierre, who is set to make his debut as the Green Lantern John Stewart in the upcoming HBO Max series Lanterns. Pierre commented on James Gunn’s social media post announcing Man of Tomorrow, posting a green heart that would seemingly imply Green Lantern’s role in the film. Additionally, other upcoming heroes like Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan and even the as-yet-uncast Batman stand a good chance of showing up in the team-up film.
It also seems likely that Man of Tomorrow will feature multiple characters from Superman. Audiences should expect to see the Daily Planet staff return, including Skyler Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen and Wendell Pierce’s Perry White. Lex Luthor’s henchmen, who all returned in Peacemaker Season 2, will also most likely return in Man of Tomorrow. Finally, the film will also certainly feature plenty of new faces in the DCU as it continues to flesh out its universe with iconic characters from the comics.