Henry Cavill as Superman in Man of Steel
By
Lewis Glazebrook
Published Feb 15, 2026, 9:47 PM EST
Lewis is a Lead Writer for Screen Rant and has written for the site since 2022. This has allowed Lewis to explore a vast array of films, TV shows, books, comic books, and games from across the mainstream world of pop culture, reflecting his lifelong love of all media and typifying his experience in the world of fiction storytelling. To top this off, Lewis graduated from Northumbria University with First Class Honours in Film & TV Studies, truly exemplifying his experience in the medium.
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The next Superman movie in the DC Universe is the sequel that Henry Cavill's version never received. The list of upcoming DC movies is certainly heavy on Kryptonians, starting with 2026's Supergirl. The movie will tell the next story in the DC Universe, after Superman's ending teased a wider franchise being built.
2027 will then continue that streak thanks to Superman 2, officially titled Man of Tomorrow. Featuring the return of David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, and several other actors from 2025's Superman, Man of Tomorrow will be the next major installment in the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
Interestingly, despite being so intrinsically tied to James Gunn's DC Universe, the next Superman movie will be the Henry Cavill story that Snyderverse fans never got to see.
Man Of Tomorrow Is The Superman Sequel Henry Cavill Never Got
David Corenswet's Superman talking to a robot in the Fortress of Solitude in Superman
In several ways, Man of Tomorrow is what Henry Cavill's Man of Steel sequel would have been. In fact, Man of Tomorrow was a title many desired a Man of Steel sequel to have. It maintains the "Man of" trend established by the 2013 film, all while following the narrative themes of Superman being an ideal for humanity to strive towards in the future.
Moreover, fans of the DCEU movie timeline wanted a specific villain to face off against Cavill's Superman in Man of Steel 2: Brainiac. Brainiac is one of DC Comics' most iconic Superman villains, one who has not yet been seen in his full glory on the big screen.
Versions of Brainiac have appeared in TV shows like Smallville, but seeing him in a theatrical Superman film has been a dream of DC fans for decades. This explained why the masses wanted to see Brainiac in the DCEU as part of a Man of Steel sequel, a promise that is now being fulfilled, only in a very different franchise.
James Gunn has confirmed that Brainiac will be the primary antagonist of Man of Tomorrow, meaning the villain will finally face off against Superman in a movie. Sadly for fans of Henry Cavill, Brainiac will be an adversary of David Corenswet's Superman. This fact will come with a great deal of irony for DCEU fans, who are seeing the Man of Steel sequel they once wanted, this time in a new continuity.
Why Zack Snyder's Man Of Steel Never Had A Real Sequel
Henry Cavill's Superman flies to the skies in Man of Steel
With Man of Tomorrow highlighting how Man of Steel never got a direct sequel, it is worth exploring why this was the case. Perhaps the biggest reason for this was the misguided leadership of the DCEU or, more specifically, the studio executives of Warner Bros. After Man of Steel, Warner Bros. wished to rival Marvel Studios and the MCU.
This led to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice being fast-tracked as an unofficial sequel to Man of Steel, continuing the story of Cavill's Superman while also introducing Batman, Wonder Woman, and other Justice League heroes. Then came Justice League in 2017, which resulted in Zack Snyder's DCEU departure and a change in direction for the franchise.
Henry Cavill's DCEU Appearances
Release Date
Man of Steel
June 14, 2013
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
March 25, 2016
Justice League
November 17, 2017
Zack Snyder's Justice League
March 18, 2021
Black Adam
October 21, 2022
The Flash
June 16, 2023
With a rotating door of key creatives and Warner Bros. executives getting involved in the DCEU over the next four years, Man of Steel 2 became a "will-they-won't-they" project. Several reports claimed that Man of Steel 2 was in the works at multiple points post-Justice League, but it never came to fruition.
The DCEU was then rebooted as James Gunn's DCU, which is currently in full swing. As a result, Man of Steel never had a direct sequel in the way many desired, thanks to the ambitious yet rushed plans of Warner Bros., the absence of Zack Snyder, and the lack of a cohesive narrative direction for the DCEU.
How Man Of Steel 2 Would've Changed The Snyderverse
Henry Cavill's Superman looks down while flying in Man of Steel
In retrospect, it is fun to imagine how the DC Extended Universe, now often dubbed the Snyderverse, would have been different had Man of Steel 2 happened. If Man of Steel 2 happened instead of Batman v Superman, there's no denying that the DCEU's Superman would have received much more development.
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Dive into the world of movies and TV shows with Screen Rant, your source for news, reviews, and exclusive content. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.The character would have had another story to be fleshed out, likely detailing more of his relationship with Lois, his status as a beloved or, in Snyder's case, a controversial hero among the DCEU's citizens, and showing him going up against an iconic villain. This could have been invaluable for his character development, helping Cavill's Superman become the hero many hoped he would be, eventually.
This would have made the eventual story of BvS feel much more consequential, especially with the death of Superman. The benefits this would have had on Justice League's story go unsaid, too, allowing Snyder's overall vision for the franchise to unfold naturally.
As it was, though, Man of Steel 2 never happened. The DCEU rushed to its own end, leading to James Gunn's DC Universe. Now, the most anticipated installment in that franchise is Man of Tomorrow, which will tell the story that Henry Cavill's Superman should have received in his own sequel over a decade ago.
Man of Tomorrow
Like Follow Followed Science Fiction Action Release Date July 7, 2027 Director James Gunn Writers James Gunn Producers Lars P. WintherCast
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Nicholas Hoult
Lex Luthor
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David Corenswet
Superman
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Rachel Brosnahan
Lois Lane
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Frank Grillo
Rick Flag Sr.
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Movies
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DC Extended Universe
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