Man of Tomorrow has wrapped, and a DC hero nobody expected is coming back with it

If you thought the last Superman shake-up was big, just wait for Man of Tomorrow. James Gunn has wrapped filming for the much-hyped sequel, and let’s just say: it’s not exactly a cosy, two-person drama this time around. Superman—now embodied by David Corenswet—has to do the unthinkable and team up with his old nemesis Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult, going full bald genius) to take on a Brainiac invasion. Yes, the proper cosmic stuff. But it’s not just the usual Metropolis suspects jumping in for the big day.

With Rachel Brosnahan back as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and members of the Justice Gang like Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl, this 2027 sequel is basically a mini Justice League film in all but name. Gunn’s really leaning into the “world’s bigger than Superman” brief for this second outing.

Man of Tomorrow hits cinemas on 9 July 2027, exactly two years after the previous Superman film.

Blue Beetle Returns—Surprisingly

Here’s where it gets properly interesting for DCU continuity-watchers: Xolo Maridueña officially confirmed he’s back as Jaime Reyes, making this the character’s first big appearance since Blue Beetle (2023). This isn’t a throwaway cameo, either. His casting was a tightly guarded secret until Variety got the scoop straight from him, and according to Maridueña, it was all rather cloak-and-dagger—definitely not a franchise move you could’ve predicted after Blue Beetle’s mixed box-office fortunes.

Here’s Maridueña recounting how he found out, speaking to Variety:

I was in Japan with my friends; nobody knew anything. And I just see, like the Bat-phone, my phone rings [and it's] James Gunn. All my friends look at me, and I had to leave the room. I came back, and I was like, 'Off the record, don't tell anyone, but we're coming back,' and I'm so excited for people to see where Blue Beetle ends up.

He made it clear there’s no certainty of this sort of thing in Hollywood—‘stuff flips on a dime’ were his words—but added he’s properly humbled that Gunn and the new DCU team 'folded us in, Indiana Jones style.' What any of that will actually mean for Blue Beetle’s involvement remains a mystery for now, but at least it cements him as a mainline player as opposed to forgotten spin-off territory.

Who’s In, Who’s Out

To try and keep track (no easy feat given the rate Gunn’s building out this universe), here’s the on-screen line-up for Man of Tomorrow so far:

• David Corenswet as Superman
• Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor
• Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane
• Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen
• Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl
• Xolo Maridueña as Blue Beetle
• Lars Eidinger as Brainiac

There’s talk of other familiar DC faces popping up—this is now squarely ‘Chapter One: Gods and Monsters’ in Gunn’s rebooted DC universe, so pretty much anyone could be fair game. Time-wise, Gunn’s made it official that events will be moving in “real time”—which is to say, it’s set in summer 2027, two years after the last Superman film, which should mean plenty of breathing room for bigger stories (or awkward alliances).

We don’t know how much screen time Blue Beetle gets with the rest of the team, but with Brainiac threatening Earth, it’s a safe bet the Justice Gang’s calling in all available hands. At this rate, Man of Tomorrow is looking less like a solo Superman sequel and more like the DCU’s grand coming out party.