While the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow isn’t out until 2027, that hasn’t stopped director/writer James Gunn from vaguely teasing some plans, particulary as they relate to Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor.
In a recent interview with The Ringer-Verse, Gunn was asked about his approach to Lex for Tomorrow and the DC universe overall. Gunn is aiming to “get into the heart of Lex” and explore more of his human side. By his own admission, Lex was a bastard in that first movie (even before he killed Superman support Malik), but still feels there’s something “incredibly heroic” about the bald baddie at his core.
“[Lex] is a guy who [sees Superman] and says, ‘You can hold up a building or shoot down planes with your eyes. Fuck you, I’m gonna kick your ass because I’m better than you.’ I can’t help but admire Lex’s tenacity and his ego,” said Gunn. While nothing Lex’s jealousy and inferiority complex regarding Superman is through the roof, Gunn acknowledged how relatable a feeling that can be, and something he hopes to further explore in Tomorrow.
“That [jealousy] makes Lex full, so much more than most of these villains we’ve seen in these movies,” Gunn continued. “He’s got his reasons for everything, and he’s the underdog. He’s got corporate power to manipulate things, but he can’t fly to space or lift up a building. […] He’s just a guy, and I fucking love that.”
Gunn’s previously teased Man of Tomorrow as a teamup flick with Lex and David Corenswet’s Superman against a threat only the two of them can handle. Whatever that threat is, it’ll see Lex don his warsuit to help Superman out, only to double-cross him. We’ll see how that fractured alliance plays out when the film releases on July 9, 2027.