James Gunn has already moved on to his next screenplay, even as Superman: Man of Tomorrow heads into post-production.
The filmmaker revealed on Threads that he has started writing an unannounced project while waiting for the assembly cut of Superman: Man of Tomorrow to be completed. With filming having wrapped in August, James Gunn has found a way to turn the waiting period between production and post-production into time spent creating his next story.
The update came directly from James Gunn, and the reason behind it was surprisingly simple. While waiting for the assembly cut of Superman: Man of Tomorrow, the filmmaker said he needed something to do, so he started writing. Although the project remains completely under wraps, Gunn is already using the time between stages of his current film to work on another screenplay.
The project itself remains a mystery. James Gunn has not shared its title, story or characters, and there is no confirmation yet that it is the next DC Universe film he will make. What is clear is that he is already working on another screenplay while Superman: Man of Tomorrow continues through post-production.
For a filmmaker overseeing one of the biggest new chapters in the DC Universe, the update offers a glimpse into how quickly James Gunn is already looking beyond his current film. At the same time, the mystery surrounding the new project means there is currently very little information to suggest what direction the screenplay could take.
Before that mystery project becomes clearer, Superman: Man of Tomorrow remains James Gunn’s immediate focus. The film is scheduled to open in theaters on July 9, 2027, following the 2025 release of Superman, which launched the new DC Universe.
The first film, led by David Corenswet as Superman, earned roughly $618 million worldwide. However, James Gunn has previously explained that Superman: Man of Tomorrow is not simply being treated as a standard numbered sequel. Instead, Gunn has described it as the next part of an ongoing “Superman Saga.”
That approach gives the new film room to continue the story while taking Superman into a very different situation. Rather than simply functioning as a conventional follow-up, the film is being positioned as another chapter in the larger story Gunn is developing around the character and the new DC Universe.
One of the biggest changes will be the relationship between David Corenswet’s Superman and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor. The two characters are expected to form an uneasy alliance when they are forced to face a much larger threat: Brainiac, played by Lars Eidinger.
The idea of Superman and Lex Luthor working together is already unusual enough, but the film is also bringing one of Lex Luthor’s most recognizable comic-book elements to live action.
Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor will wear the iconic Warsuit, the armored mech suit that has been associated with the character for decades. Its appearance in Superman: Man of Tomorrow will mark the first time the famous suit has been portrayed in live-action cinema.
The Warsuit gives the upcoming film another major visual element to look forward to, while adding a completely new side to Nicholas Hoult’s version of Lex Luthor. Its inclusion also further distinguishes the upcoming film from the first Superman movie and adds another recognizable comic-book element to Gunn’s next chapter.
There is also an unusually strong endorsement from someone close to James Gunn. Sean Gunn, James Gunn’s brother and longtime collaborator, has already read the script for Superman: Man of Tomorrow.
Sean Gunn has publicly said that the script is his absolute favorite among James Gunn’s scripts. He has not revealed the story itself, but the comment has naturally added more curiosity around what James Gunn has planned for the next Superman chapter.
For now, the identity of James Gunn’s new writing project remains completely under wraps. That is also what makes the update particularly interesting. There is no title to judge, no plot to speculate about and no cast to discuss. There is simply James Gunn, already writing while his current film moves toward its next stage.
Superman: Man of Tomorrow still has a long road ahead before audiences see it on July 9, 2027. But behind the scenes, James Gunn is already moving forward. One Superman story is being shaped in post-production, while another movie is beginning on the page.
Whatever Gunn is writing now could eventually become the next piece of the much bigger DC Universe story he is building. For the moment, however, the project remains a mystery, with Superman: Man of Tomorrow continuing to take shape as Gunn’s immediate priority.
