As DC fans await the releases of Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface this year, the future of the DC Universe is continuing to take shape. Currently in production is James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow, the filmmaker’s Superman follow-up that sees Kal-El team up with his nemesis Lex Luthor to stop the threat of Brainiac. Perhaps the biggest talking point surrounding Man of Tomorrow so far has been the cast. Even though cameras started rolling recently, new additions keep being announced. Just this month, we learned Gunn favorite Matthew Lillard and Friday Night Lights star Sinqua Walls have joined the project, and now the Man of Tomorrow ensemble continues to grow some more.
In a Variety profile on Supergirl star Milly Alcock, it’s revealed that she will reprise her role of Kara Zor-El in Man of Tomorrow. She is set to join the production in Atlanta soon. Details about how she fits in are being kept under wraps, but DC Studios co-head Peter Safran noted, “She’s a major part of what we’re doing.”
Is The Man of Tomorrow Cast Too Big?
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros
While Superman is the main focus of Man of Tomorrow, he won’t be the only superhero in the film. In addition to Alcock’s Supergirl, we know Aaron Pierre is reprising his Lanterns role of John Stewart, and there’s speculation of other heroes too. Adria Arjona is believed to be playing Maxima, but some think that’s a red herring to hide the fact she’s the new Wonder Woman. There’s also no shortage of fan theories concerning Walls’ character, including Cyborg or Steel. This is all exciting, but it raises the question if whether or not the movie’s cast is becoming too big for its own good.
On paper, those concerns are warranted. Throughout history, there have been many superhero films undone by stacked ensembles, cramming too many characters into the run time. Even in cases where there’s two and a half hours to play with, there’s only so much screen time to go around, which can lead to situations where some characters are shortchanged, disappointing fans. Some actors aren’t going to have as much to do as others, creating a sense that they’re just tacked on for fan service. However, until we learn more about Man of Tomorrow and see how the film is shaping up, Gunn has earned the benefit of the doubt.
Over the course of his career, Gunn has done a great job of balancing sizable ensembles in his comic book adaptations. The Guardians of the Galaxy movies carved out enough time to properly flesh out each team member, and Superman was very much the same way. Kal-El reconciling with the dark truth of his Kryptonian heritage was the driving force of the plot, but Superman also took the opportunity to introduce viewers to standout versions of characters like Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and fan-favorite Mr. Terrific. Gunn has shown that he has a good read on what his stories need, and odds are, he wouldn’t include all these characters unless he felt it was necessary — not just for the overarching DCU narrative, but for the purposes of the standalone film.
It’ll be interesting to see what Supergirl’s role in Man of Tomorrow is. She could just have a cameo, reaching out to Clark to check in on her cousin (similar to what Superman is doing in Supergirl). Kara could also have a larger supporting part to play. Someone with her powers and abilities would surely be helpful in the fight against Brainiac. Based on the Supergirl trailers, Kara’s personal arc in her solo film seems to be embracing more of a hero role moving forward after processing her grief and trauma. If Superman calls upon his cousin for aid, she’d probably be happy to swoop in.
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