Man of Tomorrow is shaping up to be a much bigger movie than Superman, and if the rumour mill is to be believed, the sequel will introduce DC heavy-hitters like Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter.
Talk of J'onn J'onzz appearing in the movie started when Sinqua Walls (Carry-On) was cast in a mystery role. Now, insider Daniel Richtman has shared an exciting update for fans of the Justice League member.
"In a casting grid...it said they were casting Martian Manhunter, so I believe the recent casting was for that," he wrote. "That being said, [James] Gunn likes to call characters by other names on his grids, so we'll see."
So, don't get your hopes up yet, but it seems at least somewhat likely that Martian Manhunter will make his DCU debut next year. While Man of Tomorrow is looking pretty jam-packed, Gunn has proved himself an expert at handling large ensembles, and this may just be a cameo that sets up something much bigger down the line.
In the comics, J'onn J'onzz is the Martian Manhunter, a law enforcement officer from Mars who became a police detective and superhero after becoming marooned on Earth. He is also a founding member of the Justice League of America.
David Harewood played Martian Manhunter in the Arrowverse after debuting in Supergirl. Harry Lennix briefly showed up as the hero in Zack Snyder's Justice League, replacing a John Stewart cameo the filmmaker had been forced to cut by Warner Bros.
It's worth noting that Gunn has teased plans for Martian Manhunter at least a few times, with social media posts referencing Chocos, a snack that the comic book version of the hero is extremely fond of.
In Man of Tomorrow, Superman will be forced to team up with Lex Luthor to battle Brainiac, a threat not just to Metropolis but the entire world.
Written and directed by James Gunn, previously announced stars include David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Lars Eidinger as Brainiac, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag, Sr., Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.
Andre Royo, Matthew Lillard, Sinqua Walls, and Adria Arjona recently joined the cast, though we still don't know for sure whether the latter is playing Maxima or Wonder Woman. There's also speculation about Eva De Dominici playing one of those characters.
Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters on July 9, 2027.