Saturday was Superman Day, which didn’t yield anything substantial for Supergirl or Man of Tomorrow. But Sunday’s a new day, and James Gunn revealed another actor has signed on to the Superman sequel.
That would be Andre Royo, best known for series like The Wire and Empire. On Threads, Gunn posted a picture of them together, saying it “great to be working with Andre again!” after Royo appeared in Gunn’s 2010 movie Super. Gunn gave no indication who Royo will play, which has given fans an opportunity to speculate. And the candidate folks have zeroed in on, according to IGN, is Martian Manhunter.
Why him? In part because they just feel like he has to be someone significant, and J’onn J’onzz is someone he could fit. The primary evidence is that Gunn’s previously teased the hero before. In 2024 and again this past January, he tweeted out pics of Choco’s, the DC version of Oreos that are a favorite of Martian Manhunter. Lending some extra credence to this is Martian Manhunter’s TV history: in live-action and animation, he’s been portrayed by Black actors like Carl Lumbly in Justice League and David Harewood in Supergirl.
Before Superman came out, Gunn confirmed the Justice League was indeed on his mind. So far, his DC universe also includes John Stewart and Hawkgirl, part of the DCAU Justice League. If fans are right about Royo’s casting, it and the recently-cast Adria Arjona possibly playing Wonder Woman send a specific message about Gunn’s influences and what he wants his DC universe to look like.
We’ll find out for sure in the near future, probably before Man of Tomorrow comes out on July 9, 2027.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
English (US) ·