Lex Luthor’s Warsuit in ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Is Everything DC Fans Dreamed Of
The DC Universe has been on a remarkable winning streak, and the momentum shows no signs of slowing. After the critical and commercial success of ‘Superman’ in 2025, James Gunn wasted little time setting the stage for what comes next, announcing the follow-up film and setting it on course for a summer 2027 release. Production on ‘Man of Tomorrow’ is now officially underway in Atlanta, and fans just got their first glimpse of what to expect.
The core plot of ‘Man of Tomorrow’ will center on Superman being forced to team up with Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, the original movie’s main villain. After escaping from Belle Reve prison, Lex will have to put aside his differences with the Man of Steel when Brainiac, played by Lars Eidinger, threatens to make all of Earth part of his personal collection of planets. It is a premise that flips the entire dynamic of the first film on its head, and the production is already delivering on its promise.
That delivery came in the form of a striking first look dropped directly by Gunn himself. Gunn shared the image on social media with the caption, “Fit check. Live from the set of Man of Tomorrow,” showing Hoult’s Lex Luthor fully suited up inside his iconic warsuit. The photo, captured against a sandy, dramatically lit backdrop, reveals a hulking green and purple armored suit that is unmistakably pulled from the comics. While the green and purple armor has appeared in a live-action DC series before, ‘Man of Tomorrow’ marks the first time it has been seen in a live-action DC film.
The suit is more than a costume flex. The chest piece of Lex’s warsuit features the A.R.G.U.S. symbol, tying the design directly to the DC government agency focused on metahumans and led by Amanda Waller. Gunn also went on to address fan concerns about the practicality of such a bulky piece of hardware. In a series of posts on Threads, Gunn confirmed that the suit is “100% practical” and, despite its size, surprisingly easy to move in for Hoult, writing “It’s unbelievably mobile.” That confirmation alone sets ‘Man of Tomorrow’ apart from the CGI-heavy superhero action audiences have grown accustomed to.
The warsuit is one of Lex’s most iconic costumes in the source material, first introduced 43 years ago in Action Comics #544, and it frequently comes out when Lex plans to battle Superman directly. Gunn has always been transparent that this story belongs as much to Lex as it does to Clark Kent. Speaking to Variety via the Howard Stern SiriusXM radio show, Gunn explained, “It’s as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie. I loved working with Nicholas Hoult. I relate to the character of Lex, sadly. I really wanted to create something extraordinary with the two of them.”
Returning stars for the sequel include Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific. The film will also introduce Aaron Pierre as Green Lantern John Stewart, who is first appearing in the upcoming HBO Max series ‘Lanterns’. With a cast that expansive and a villain dynamic this rich, the scale of what Gunn is building is becoming impossible to ignore.
‘Man of Tomorrow’ is scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027, following the DCU’s 2026 releases of ‘Supergirl’ and ‘Lanterns’. If this first look at Lex’s warsuit is any indication, the wait is going to be well worth it, but we want to hear from you: is Nicholas Hoult’s armored Lex Luthor already everything you hoped it would be, or does the suit need to earn your trust on screen first?
