After 77 Years, James Gunn Finally Adds The One Thing Superman Movies Have Been Missing

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Look, we’ve seen a lot of Superman movies over the last 77 years, and every single one has given us a version of Lex Luthor. But James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow is doing something really cool – introducing Nicholas Hoult as a Lex Luthor who feels genuinely new. Every actor from Gene Hackman to Michael Rosenbaum and even Jesse Eisenberg has brought their own spin to the role, always making Lex a credible threat to Superman’s power, just like in the original comics. But this feels different, and I’m excited to see what Hoult brings to the table.

It’s now official: Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor will be getting a big new twist in the upcoming Superman movie, one that hasn’t been seen in films before. While James Gunn’s first Superman film showed Luthor using his intelligence and wealth to build an army of enemies against Superman, the sequel, Man of Tomorrow, may see Luthor taking a dramatically different approach.

James Gunn’s latest announcement about the future of DCU confirms Lex Luthor will play a significant and likely villainous role, both when he initially teams up with Superman and when that partnership eventually ends. Expect him to be heavily involved and actively causing trouble in the upcoming sequel.

James Gunn Just Revealed Lex Luthor’s Warsuit For Man of Tomorrow, A Major Superman Movie First

James Gunn recently shared the first official image of Lex Luthor’s signature green battlesuit, as seen in the comics. Although armored versions of Lex have appeared in animated shows and TV series before, this is the first time the classic comic book design is being prominently featured in a live-action Superman movie.

Lex’s new armored suit is incredibly true to its comic book origins, but it also makes him significantly bigger and more intimidating. In the comics, Lex’s warsuit is always packed with high-tech weapons and systems, giving him a huge advantage when he fights. We can expect the same to be true in the next movie.

It’s great to finally see James Gunn’s vision for Superman come to life, especially after the initial concept art by Jim Lee was revealed last year. What’s particularly exciting is that the production team is actually building a real suit for Jacob Elordi to wear during filming.

The introduction of Lex Luthor’s battlesuit in the upcoming movie is a significant moment for the Superman film series. Despite over 75 years of Superman movies and serials, this is the first time a live-action Lex Luthor will be seen wearing his famous battle armor. This makes actor Jacob Hoult’s portrayal particularly exciting, especially considering reports that Lex and Superman will team up to fight the new DC Universe villain, Brainiac.

Why Lex’s Warsuit Makes So Much Sense After 2025’s Superman

Lex Luthor’s latest warsuit seems like a natural progression for his character in the DC Universe, especially after the events of the 2025 film, Superman.

In the original Superman film, Lex Luthor believed his intelligence made him superior to Superman’s physical power, famously declaring that brains would always triumph over strength – a belief taken directly from the comic books.

Lex Luthor usually avoids direct fights with Superman, preferring to use schemes, manipulation, and helpers like The Engineer and Ultraman. This has always bothered different versions of the character. So, it’s really interesting to see this new Luthor from the DCU acknowledging his past errors and trying to become a physical threat as well as a brilliant strategist.

Even if Lex Luthor and Superman become allies in Man of Tomorrow, it’s unlikely to be a lasting partnership. Therefore, it makes sense that Lex will end up using his powerful battlesuit – probably against Superman, Brainiac, or even both of them – in the next DC Universe movie.

Man of Tomorrow releases on July 9th 2027 from DC Studios.

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2026-06-02 01:41