Matthew Lillard Joins James Gunn’s ‘Man of Tomorrow’ as Career Finds New Momentum Post-Tarantino Backlash

Quentin Tarantino favorite Matthew Lillard has joined the Superman sequel, “Man Of Tomorrow,” from DC Studios. James Gunn is directing and wrote the script, with David Corenswet back as Supes.

Lillard joins an ensemble that already includes Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Adria Arjona, Aaron Pierre, Lars Eidinger, Rachel Brosnahan, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, Isabela Merced, Nathan Fillion, and Edi Gathegi.

Lillard recently said that Tarantino’s comments—where the director bluntly stated he “doesn’t care for” Lillard’s acting—initially felt “hurtful” and “a bummer,” especially because Lillard had long admired Tarantino. However, he also reflected that the controversy unexpectedly led to a wave of public and industry support from fans and major filmmakers defending his work, which made him feel deeply seen and appreciated.

Who knows, maybe Lillard was cast in “Man of Tomorrow” because of the exposure he received after Tarantino’s comments. The same was true when he joined the cast of Tony Gilroy’s much-anticipated “Behemoth!” not too long after that earlier controversy surfaced.

Looking at Lillard’s filmography over the last fifteen years, he’s done voice work on 25 Scooby-Doo movies, most of which went straight to streaming. He’s had a bit of a renaissance, starting with 2022’s “Scream,” 2023’s “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” and a strong turn in 2025’s “The Life of Chuck,” which has now led to a role in James Gunn’s “Superman” sequel, which—in terms of scale and budget—is set to be the biggest film of his career.

Sam McCurdy (“Peacemaker”) is the DP on “Man of Tomorrow,” instead of Henry Braham—who shot Gunn’s last four films (“Superman,” “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and “Vol. 3,” and “The Suicide Squad”).

Gunn has already suggested that the sequel will see Lex Luthor and Superman forced into an uneasy alliance against a “much bigger threat.” Given the history of both the comics and “Superman: The Animated Series,” it isn’t hard to connect the dots: Brainiac (whom Eidinger plays) has often clashed with both Superman and Luthor, making him the logical candidate.

Warner Bros. is targeting a July 9, 2027 release date for “Superman: Man of Tomorrow.”