The conclusion to James Gunn’s Superman seemed rather clear-cut when it first hit theaters, and it was pretty classic superhero stuff: the Man of Steel beat the bad guy, kissed the girl, and hope was the message of the day. Superman‘s ending set up a future for multiple DC characters, including the arrival of Milly Alcock’s Supergirl, as well as the various members of the Justice Gang (who have since returned in Peacemaker, confirming they replaced the Justice League in the DCU).
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What it didn’t really do was set up a sequel. While it was always likely that, should the movie be a box office success, Superman 2 would happen in some form, there wasn’t much direct groundwork laid for it. Even Superman‘s post-credits scene was just a quick gag, rather than a tease for the future. But between the movie’s release in theaters and its debut on HBO Max, that all changed, with the confirmation of Man of Tomorrow. The sequel will be released in 2027, and its story casts a new light upon the movie’s ending.
Lex Luthor’s Defeat Is Different Knowing He’ll Team-Up With Superman
Lex Luthor is carted off to Belle Reve at the end of Superman, but it was expected he’d return. He’s a huge character who typically finds a way to come back, and the fact that he wasn’t killed off clearly left the door open. But if he were to return, it seemed more likely that he’d still be a villain, perhaps leading a team of bad guys like the Injustice Gang or similar. However, it’s been revealed that Man of Tomorrow will see Lex and Superman work together as they face an even greater threat, which is not something there’s any hint of in the movie itself.
Lex had a burning hatred of Superman, so much so that he committed treason and was willing to sacrifice Metropolis to take him down. But Man of Tomorrow suggests that will change, at least enough to force them into an uneasy alliance, and perhaps some of Kal-El’s words in Superman‘s ending got through after all. The Man of Steel delivers a stirring message about humanity which, ultimately, reflects the major themes that Gunn explores in the movie.
“I’m as human as anyone. I love, I get scared. I wake up every morning, and despite not knowing what to do, I put one foot in front of the other, and I try to make the best choices I can. I screw up all the time. But that is being human. And that’s my greatest strength. And someday I hope, for the sake of the world, you understand that it’s yours too.”
At the time, Lex rejected those words. But perhaps with time in prison, and a true threat to the world that is so much worse than what he believed Superman to be (like, say, Brainiac?), the villain will come to reflect on what his nemesis said. That he’ll understand that they need to work together for the sake of the world, because all they can do is try to make the best choices, despite previous screw ups. That would be a neat way of making a thematic throughline from Superman‘s climax to Man of Tomorrow, and explaining why Lex is willing to (at least briefly) work with the Big Blue Boy Scout, because he now understands his humanity, even if he doesn’t like him.
Superman is now streaming on HBO Max. Man of Tomorrow will be released on July 9th, 2027.
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Image Courtesy of Marvel Comics
