DC fans barely get comfortable with one version of their favorite heroes before another reboot arrives. Over the last several years, the franchise has jumped between canceled projects, actor exits, alternate timelines, and surprise cameos that completely changed the direction of the universe. Even after James Gunn officially stepped in to lead the new DCU, the constant reshuffling never fully disappeared.
Now, new insider chatter about the Superman (2025) sequel, Man of Tomorrow, has fans once again questioning where DC is headed next. According to recent reports, another major Justice League hero could be getting rebooted entirely, and the actor previously connected to the role may already be out.
At this point, longtime DC viewers almost expect these kinds of shakeups.
Superman Helped DC Regain Momentum
After years of uneven reactions to DC films, Superman finally gave the franchise a genuine fresh start. David Corenswet stepped into the role of Clark Kent while Rachel Brosnahan brought a different energy to Lois Lane. Nicholas Hoult also delivered a colder, more controlled version of Lex Luthor than fans had seen in previous adaptations.
More importantly, the movie finally made the DCU feel connected again.
Instead of focusing solely on Superman, James Gunn used the film to introduce other heroes who would later quietly become major players. Nathan Fillion debuted as Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern, Isabela Merced appeared as Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific quickly became one of the most talked-about additions.
The movie also started pushing the franchise deeper into cosmic territory. Milly Alcock’s upcoming Supergirl project already appears closely tied to the wider DCU Gunn is building.
Right now, DC’s hero lineup still looks fairly small compared to Marvel’s giant roster. Still, Gunn seems far more interested in carefully building the universe step by step rather than immediately rushing into another massive crossover event.
DC Hero Rumors Are Growing
That slower approach may already be speeding up.
After audiences met the “Justice Gang” in Superman, many fans immediately started wondering when the full Justice League would eventually appear. Recent rumors tied to Man of Tomorrow only added more fuel to those theories.
Industry scooper Daniel Richtman recently claimed that casting information connected to the film points toward Martian Manhunter finally entering Gunn’s DCU. If true, it would also mean another major reset from the SnyderVerse era.
Harry Lennix famously played General Calvin Swanwick throughout Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016). Then, Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) revealed that Swanwick had secretly been Martian Manhunter the entire time.
Now, though, it appears Gunn could be taking the character in a completely different direction.
Fans quickly began speculating that either Andre Royo or Sinqua Walls could be playing the new version of J’onn J’onzz since both actors reportedly joined Man of Tomorrow in mystery roles. Nothing has been officially confirmed, but online debate has already exploded.
Some fans hoped Gunn would preserve more SnyderVerse continuity, while others expected a total reboot from day one.
Adding even more speculation, Gunn previously referenced Chocos cookies earlier this year, which longtime DC fans immediately recognized as a Martian Manhunter reference.
Man of Tomorrow May Be Much Bigger Than Expected
Even without the Martian Manhunter rumors, Man of Tomorrow already sounds enormous.
Reports have also linked Andor star Adria Arjona to the project, reportedly as Maxima, the queen of Almerac. Meanwhile, Lars Eidinger is rumored to be taking on the role of Brainiac, one of Superman’s most dangerous enemies.
That alone could dramatically expand the scale of the DCU.
Brainiac’s obsession with collecting civilizations and preserving entire worlds makes him a threat far beyond Earth. DC Studios also revealed an early look at Kandor, Krypton’s bottled city, leading many fans to suspect Brainiac may already play a larger role in the universe than expected.
Some theories even suggest Gunn could connect Brainiac to Krypton’s destruction itself.
If that happens, it could naturally tie into Martian Manhunter’s tragic origins and finally unite several DC heroes against one massive threat.
DC Still Faces One Major Problem
Even with all the excitement surrounding Gunn’s universe, DC still struggles with one recurring issue: consistency.
Fans have watched multiple versions of Superman, Batman, the Joker, and the Flash appear within a relatively short period of time. While reboots can create excitement, they also force audiences to reconnect with characters from scratch constantly.
So far, Superman has given many fans hope that DC may finally have a stable long-term plan. But with more casting rumors and possible character resets surfacing, that pressure keeps growing.
If Man of Tomorrow successfully balances Superman, Supergirl, Brainiac, and a growing Justice League roster, DC could finally have the crossover universe fans have wanted for years.
If not, audiences may once again wonder which version of DC truly matters.
