Can ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Really Rival ‘Avengers: Infinity War’? Director Believes So

Few superhero movies cast a shadow quite like ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ The 2018 blockbuster has become the yardstick every crossover-minded franchise gets measured against, and fans still bring it up whenever a studio promises something big. The film followed the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy as they tried to stop Thanos from collecting all six Infinity Stones.

That legacy is no accident, either. Rotten Tomatoes lists it at 85% with critics and 92% with audiences. Fan-voted rankings also place it second among the greatest comic book movies of all time, just behind ‘The Dark Knight.’

So when a DC executive gets compared to that film, people notice. According to a post from Cinema Carve, Peter Safran reportedly described ‘Man of Tomorrow’ as one of the greatest comic book movies ever, with an event on the scale of ‘Avengers: Infinity War.’ It’s a bold pitch, and for now it rests on a secondhand report rather than a clearly traced interview or statement.

Safran is hardly a bystander. He and James Gunn have overseen DC Studios’ film, television and animation projects since October 2022, with Gunn handling the creative side and Safran handling the business side. That makes him the person responsible for selling the slate, and a big swing like this fits that role.

The film itself is already well into the pipeline. ‘Man of Tomorrow’ is set for release on July 9, 2027, with Gunn writing and directing and Safran producing. Filming took place from April to August 2026.

The cast list helps explain why the Marvel comparison keeps surfacing. David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Milly Alcock, Aaron Pierre and Xolo Maridueña are all part of the lineup. That is a lot of faces for a movie that isn’t called ‘Justice League.’

Story details point the same direction. Lars Eidinger is cast as Brainiac, and both Superman and Lex Luthor are expected to share the spotlight as dual protagonists. Gunn has previously confirmed the broad idea, saying it’s a story about Lex and Superman having to work together.

The rumor mill has been feeding the ‘Infinity War’ talk for weeks. A mid-October report from Cosmic Book News claimed a leaked script describes two teams, four characters with roles in space, and supporting heroes on Earth. The same report said a viral post put the movie at a scale comparable to ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and framed it as an event film without a Justice League.

Those claims remain unconfirmed, and they should be treated that way. Still, the timing is interesting. Gunn and Safran’s DC contracts reportedly expire in April 2027, three months before the movie opens. That adds extra pressure to a film that could double as a statement of intent for the entire DC Universe.

There’s also the matter of what DC is following. Rotten Tomatoes’ critics consensus for 2025’s ‘Superman’ praised how it built a dynamic new world while keeping its hero’s big heart front and center. Gunn and Safran produced that film too, so expectations for the sequel are set by their own work.

Of course, bold comparisons cut both ways. ‘Infinity War’ worked in part because it was the payoff to years of connected storytelling, and ‘Man of Tomorrow’ is only the second major chapter of a freshly rebooted universe. Fans will likely wait for a trailer before deciding whether this is real confidence or just a very effective sales pitch.

For now, the takeaway is simple. DC is reportedly aiming high, and ‘Man of Tomorrow’ is being framed as the movie that proves the DCU can play at that level. Whether it lands closer to ‘Infinity War’ or something more modest, July 2027 can’t come soon enough for fans watching every rumor.