It’s been a couple of weeks since James Gunn confirmed the news of his next project in the DCU, Man of Tomorrow. As the DC Studios co-chair gears up for a spring 2026 production start on the project. We’re all left wondering just who could pose such a threat that Superman (David Corenswet) and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) need to team-up to take them down…
Of course Gunn has been incredibly tight-lipped about the project. First noting that Superman would have “a major role” in the sequel, leading many to believe the focus may be on another character. The writer/director of this summer’s Superman has also spoken at length about the narrative flow through the DCU affirming that Peacemaker season 2 is the direct follow-up purely because it was the next project to release.
Our first hint that the Man of Steel and his arch nemesis would be teaming up came alongside the announcement of the Man of Tomorrow release date. Being teased using three different pieces of new comic book artwork featuring the characters side-by-side. Each of those pieces being revealed by Gunn, Corenswet and Hoult respectively. During a later appearance on The Howard Stern Show Gunn would go on to explain “it’s a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat”.
So just what, or who, could that threat be? Here are my top five candidates…
Brainiac
Most likely top of everyone’s list of potential threats for Superman and Lex to take on is Brainiac. Who, despite A-list status in the comics, has yet to appear in any live-action big screen Superman project. Whilst attempts have been made to bring the character to the small screen, none has yet captured the menacing potential the character and his technology represents.
As described by DC, Brainiac is “one of the most intelligent beings in the universe”. A Twelfth-Level intellect which far outstrips that of Lex Luthor, but who shares his intense hatred from the Man of Steel. Brainiac is essentially an alien A.I. with an unquenchable thirst for absolute knowledge, regardless of the billions of innocent lives which might be destroyed in the process. He’s described as always being ten steps ahead of his opponents but with an inability to see beyond pure logic which often proves to be his downfall.
But the question remains: what could draw the character out to cause the Man of Tomorrow team-up? Perhaps the clues lie in Peacemaker season 2. Now it’s been confirmed that the pocket universe door used by Auggie Smith is of alien origin, might the next revelation be that it was once lost by Brainiac? Or perhaps Brainiac is lurking behind one of the doors in the Quantum Unfolding Chamber. It could lead to an interesting, unconventional story if Superman were to need help taking down a Brainiac from elsewhere in the multiverse…
Lobo
Another top choice is a character already established – or soon to be – in the DCU. We know that Jason Momoa is set to debut as the chain-smoking alien mercenary in 2026’s Supergirl. His inclusion in the film raised a number of eyebrows as Lobo doesn’t appear in the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow comic book which inspired the film. Could the character make a small cameo in the film teeing up a journey to Earth or some nefarious purpose?
Affectionately known as The Main Man, Lobo is described by DC as “the most badass bounty hunter in the galaxy.” Riding around the spaceways on his “space cycle,” which he named Spacehog, Lobo exhibits all the traits someone would associate with a biker in a Hell’s Angels-style motorcycle gang on Earth, from his long hair and tattoos, down to his kill or be killed attitude. There’s nothing in the galaxy that Lobo loves more than his pet dolphins, a good fight, the ladies and getting drunk in some intergalactic dive bar. Probably all in that order.
The question is, could Lobo pose a threat so Earth (or Metropolis) so large that Superman would need Lex’s help in order to stop it? I’m not so sure…
Mister Mxyptlk
This one might just be my favourite one on the list… What about that imp from the Fifth Dimension, Mister Mxyptlk! He represents a sense of chaos and calamity which could absolutely confound Superman.
First introduced in 1944’s Superman #30 Mxyptlk is not bound by our physical laws, essentially leaving him able to perform limitless magic. He tends to act as more of a prankster. Think a pocket-sized Loki. Originally, Mxyzptlk had designs on conquering Earth for himself, but soon settled for tormenting Superman whenever he got the opportunity. His only weaknesses were that he could not stand being ridiculed and that pronouncing his name backwards sends him back to the Fifth Dimension.
The problem for Man of Tomorrow is that Mxyzptlk is rarely portrayed as an outright villain. Though misuse of his powers could lead to disastrous consequences. Perhaps after persistent torment Superman could turn to Lex to invent technology able to catch and imprison Mxyzptlk, leaving him unable to cause any more chaos.
Peacemaker’s Kyphotic Alien
Perhaps looking to the source material isn’t the way to do with understanding the direction of travel for James Gunn’s DCU. Could the answer to Man of Tomorrow’s threat lie closer to home in the early moments of Peacemaker season 2? A couple of times now we’ve glimpsed as character known as the “Kyphotic Alien” who lives in a dimension adjacent to the main DCU Earth.
There’s not much to glean from the character’s name. In medical terms Kyphosis is “an excessive forward rounding of the upper back.” So this alien character is simply an alien with a hunchback. Gunn hasn’t said the character is significant. But likewise he hasn’t stated that they AREN’T significant. All we know is that they have access to the same portal technology as Peacemaker and that’s something Lex Luthor is also aware of.
Though it doesn’t appear like any alien race from DC Comics, sorry Dominator fans, that doesn’t mean it isn’t James Gunn’s DCU interpretation of one. Perhaps the discovery that humans have mastered creating the portal technology will spur Kyphotic Alien’s entire race won’t come looking to find who has corrupted it. Perhaps creating his own portal technology will inadvertently put Lex at the centre on a plot to destroy the Earth?
Anti-Monitor
With both Peacemaker and Lex Luthor hopping between universes perhaps we need to look to one of DC’s most legendary stories for inspiration as to Man of Tomorrow’s villain. Could hopping between universes catch the eye of The Anti-Monitor, the harbingers of DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline.
The Anti-Monitor is perhaps the greatest threat creation has ever known. Born some 13 billion years ago in the Antimatter Universe, the powerful entity conquered his universe and sought to destroy all the positive matter universes and expand his own dark realm. He unleashed an antimatter wave on the Multiverse, murdering trillions and erasing universes from existence with his army of shadow demons. He was opposed by his benevolent twin, the Monitor, who gathered heroes from all worlds to stop him from succeeding during that Crisis-level event.
Now it’s certainly far too early for DC to be going down the Crisis on Infinite Earths route. Though we fully anticipate it will happen one day. It certainly is not going to be the jewel in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s first chapter of the DCU. But that doesn’t mean they can’t begin laying the groundwork by having the DCU characters universe hopping garnering attention from some of the multiverse’s various guardians.
What do you think of our picks? Is there an obvious candidate for the Man of Tomorrow villain. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
DC Studios will release James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow in cinemas globally from July 9, 2027.
