James Gunn’s Superman was a huge hit, effectively kicking off the DCU and avoiding any major problems that beset the previous attempt at an extended universe. It also seemed to revitalize the comic book movie genre that had been slowly dying out. It is considered by many to easily be the best comic book film in 2025 (with all due respect to The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Thunderbolts*), and it’s a sneaky awards contender. It also now officially has a sequel.
Superman Sequel Officially on DC Calendar
Superman has officially passed $600 million at the global box office, though it’s likely to stay around there. In the heyday of comic book movies, the biggest made $1 billion, but James Gunn’s first DCU entry won’t sniff that. It is a success nonetheless, in part because it handled all the extra baggage well and did a good job of setting up what’s to come both for the characters and the larger universe that DC has tried and failed to get off the ground until now.
We knew already that a Batman movie was on the way and Supergirl was already scheduled for 2026, but beyond that, not much is officially part of the upcoming slate. Now, another Supes film is on the way, this time titled Man of Tomorrow. It’s big enough news that Gunn confirmed the existence of the follow-up, but he also boldly set the release date at July 9, 2027.
Based on the comic art shared with the announcement, we can assume that Lex Luthor will be back. Hailed as a stellar comic book villain, we can also assume that Nicholas Hoult will be back in the role. David Corenswet is likely to reprise his role as the Man of Steel as well. Both actors shared artwork on their Instagram pages, seemingly indicating that they’re back. Otherwise, precious few details are available right now.
Additionally, Isabela Merced teased a return as Hawkgirl, while Aaron Pierre of the upcoming Lanterns show on HBO also hinted at his arrival in the next film. But it’s clear that the opening entry was a huge success. It made a pretty good amount of money, even outdoing all MCU outings in 2025, and reestablished the character as a big part of the culture. The Man of Steel had been much less beloved than Batman or Spider-Man since Man of Steel and Justice League got criticism from critics for the portrayal of several characters, Superman included.
That’s all a thing of the past, now. Corenswet and Gunn have the premier version of the character now, and in just two short years, they’ll be back with another film. It is unclear if Gunn will also write and direct this one. He’s serving as the MCU’s Kevin Feige to the DCU, so his tweet doesn’t necessarily confirm that he’ll be intimately involved with the project. He and Peter Safran greenlit it, but beyond that, nothing is known for certain.
We also don’t have any plot details, though Man of Tomorrow was the title of a prominent run of comics in the 1990s, and the title seems to imply that it will serve as inspiration, just like Woman of Tomorrow is going to serve as the source for 2026’s Supergirl, starring Millie Alcock, who made a cameo at the end of Superman. That movie might reveal what happens next in the DCU, thereby setting up Man of Tomorrow.
Conclusion
Superman is obviously back in a big way. The film was a huge success, making money and receiving tons of critical and fan acclaim. People adore this iteration of the character, firmly putting the hero back in the upper echelon of heroes and comic book characters he hasn’t been in for quite some time. We loved the movie, as did everyone else, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that a new film is already in the works.
