James Gunn has posted a first look at Nicholas Hoult suited up in full body armor as Lex Luthor on the set of his Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow.
The DC Studios co-CEO and Superman director shared the behind-the-scenes image across various social media platforms today. It’s a sneak peek at Clark Kent’s (David Corenswet) nemesis wearing what looks to be near-comic-accurate warsuit that should help him go toe-to-toe with the Son of Krypton and maybe even Brainiac when the DCU follow-up premieres next year.
Gunn only confirmed that the image came straight from the Man of Tomorrow set with the message “fit check” in his post. You can see Hoult wearing the Lex Luthor suit below.
It looks like Hoult’s Kryptonian-hating supervillain made his suit in anticipation of a rematch with Corenswet’s Superman. There’s a good chance we see the two face off in a more even match-up when Man of Tomorrow arrives, but Gunn has told fans that the movie will feature an unexpected team-up, too.
In September of last year, the director told Howard Stern that Lex and Clark would be working together. Who they’d be fighting was a mystery at the time, but we can probably guess now that the “bigger threat” teased at the time is Lars Eidinger’s live-action portrayal of Brainiac.
“And it is a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together, to a certain degree, against a much, much bigger threat,” Gunn said at the time. “And it’s more complicated than that. It’s as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie. I relate to the character of Lex Luthor, sadly.”
Today’s look at Hoult’s return as Lex Luthor offers one of the few behind-the-scenes looks at Man of Tomorrow we’ve seen so far. The first, which featured a few notable clues that fans have already started digging into, was shared when filming began last month.
Man of Tomorrow will continue the DCU when its July 9, 2027, release date arrives. In addition to Hoult, Corenswet, and Eidinger, its cast includes Aaron Pierre as Green Lantern John Stewart, Adria Arjona as Maxima, and Milly Alcock as Supergirl. Matthew Lillard and Andre Royo have also joined the cast in mystery roles.
For more, you can see how Eidinger described his take on Brainiac. You can also check out why some fans are expecting Martian Manhunter to show up.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
