I was scrolling X when James Gunn dropped a set photo and the feed stopped. The green suit sat in frame and suddenly a rumor became a thing you could zoom. You can feel the old comic-book promise — a mortal building a weapon to stand beside a god.
Fit check. Live from the set of Man of Tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/I5dxLyCy4h
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 1, 2026
The shadows on set suggested a cell — the shot asks questions about context
The light fell in bars across the floor; you notice them first and then the suit. I watched the photo and wondered whether those lines are literal prison bars or just cinematic lighting. If Lex is cuffed and still wearing this, that tells you Gunn is staging a very specific arrangement between villainy and utility.
Is that Nicholas Hoult in the suit?
Yes — and that matters. Seeing Hoult physically in the rig rather than only as VFX demonstrates a commitment to tactile performance. You can read it on his posture: this is a suit designed to act with an actor, not only to be composited in post by VFX houses or vendors like Industrial Light & Magic and Wētā Digital.
The suit reads like a statement — the design choices telegraph intent
The green is loud, and the silhouette is deliberate. I study the plating, the seams, the scale of the shoulders; the costume team appears to have balanced theatricality with movability. The ensemble reads like a chess king in armor, and every camera angle will have to sell both menace and engineering.
There will be different versions: stunt-ready rigs, hero suits for close-ups, and CGI passes for impossible moves. Gunn has said in past interviews that practical elements keep performances honest, and this image matches that philosophy — it’s production code over concept art on a producer’s wall.
When is Man of Tomorrow released?
Filming is underway, and the studio calendar is clear: Man of Tomorrow is scheduled for July 9, 2027. That date joins a busy DC slate that includes Supergirl on June 26 and Lanterns in August, all part of DC Studios’ rollout under James Gunn and Peter Safran.
The casting and creative team matter — the personnel shape the story
David Corenswet as Superman and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor give you two traits: contrast and chemistry. I pay attention to the director-producer duo at DC Studios and to Gunn’s history — his hands-on social presence on X and his tendency to share set moments. Those cues are authority signals that tell you how the film will be shaped long before trailers arrive.
Expect VFX vendors and costume houses to get name-checks in industry trades; I’ll be watching credits for practical-effects shops and the makeup teams who create wear-and-tear for a suit that will see action.
Will Lex team up with Superman against Brainiac?
The initial casting call and Gunn’s public notes point to an uneasy alliance against Brainiac. I can’t promise plot specifics, but the presence of a wearable suit suggests Lex will be in the physical fight at some point, not just scheming from an office tower.
The leak cycle will accelerate — on-location shoots invite more photos
Gunn’s prior films leaked set images when shooting on public streets; that pattern looks likely to repeat. You should expect more frames to slip out as production moves outdoors, and each new image will refine the story in small beats.
Follow official channels — James Gunn on X, Warner Bros. and DC Studios press releases, and outlets like Gizmodo and io9 for verification — and treat unofficial photos as clues, not scripts. I’ll be watching how costume tweaks and location choices evolve, because those tell you whether Lex remains a backstage manipulator or becomes a field operator in the DC Universe.
If a design this committed can shift public perception of a character, what will it do to the way you read Lex Luthor next summer?