Things are moving fast for the upcoming Superman sequel film, officially titled Man of Tomorrow, which will not only bring back David Corenswet as the Kryptonian superhero but also Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. As a result, it gives the title of the follow-up film a double meaning, because it’s not entirely clear which of them it refers to. The title could also refer to the villain that’s already confirmed for the movie, with Lars Eidinger set to play Brainiac opposite these two. Man of Tomorrow is also set to bring in more faces from the DCU, with Aaron Pierre reprising his role as the Green Lantern John Stewart.
One key role has seemingly remained a mystery to this point, though, and it all stems from the rumor that Maxima, the queen of Almerac, whose involvement has been hinted at by a variety of scoopers and sources. This morning, DC fans were given a surprise tease when a report from Deadline seemingly revealed that Marisa Abela (Industry), Adria Arjona (Andor) and Ella Purnell (Fallout) had all tested for the role. Fans know that actors testing for the part is pretty normal at this stage, but if the trades have found out about it then an official announcement may not be far away. James Gunn wasted no time in debunking this, calling the report “shoddy & incorrect” and also “bullsh-t.”
Man of Tomorrow Casting Report Trashed By James Gunn
“Deadline’s reporting is shoddy & incorrect,” Gunn wrote in a post on social media site Threads (where he routinely debunks DCU news and rumors). “I’ve always thought Deadline was pretty thorough in their journalism but that’s not the case here so I’m frankly disappointed. If someone would have run these names by us we would have said it’s bullshit. I’ve been friends with Adria a long time since I cast her in the Belko Experiment. I’m a fan of both Marisa and Ella but I’ve never met either of them. Crazy.”
When asked by a fan if his post was meant to confirm that the character of Maxima was in Man of Tomorrow, but would simply not be played by any of these three, Gunn was quick to note that he was “absolutely not confirming that (and didn’t).” The filmmaker went on to note that he’s already confirmed all the casting for “every major role” in Man of Tomorrow but was quick to note that there is “one left” to fill, which would round out the ensemble entirely.
Naturally, Gunn’s confirmations, teases, and debunks this morning have led many to believe that Maxima will have a place in the film. Not only have there been rumors about the character’s involvement in the movie, but Gunn noting there’s one character left naturally has many certain of her involvement.
In the pages of DC Comics, Maxima is a superpowered character who has walked the line of every relationship with Superman, not only functioning as an antagonist but also an ally, and even a love interest. Given the confirmation of Brainiac as the main antagonist, but also the lingering plot thread of the “Salvation” planet by ARGUS means that characters from across the cosmos could very easily make their way into the movie, leaving room for Maxima’s involvement. When there’s something to announce about it, though, James Gunn will almost certainly be the one to do so.
Man of Tomorrow is scheduled to fly into theaters on July 9, 2027.
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