Matthew Lillard Teases New DCU Superman 2 Character & Clarifies Comics Status

Published Oct 27, 2026, 10:41 AM EDT Ryan Northrup is a Senior Staff Writer on ScreenRant's Movie & TV News team, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and reviews. A graduate of McMaster University, Ryan began his career in public relations before attending Vancouver Film School. There, he built lasting industry connections and optioned a feature film screenplay. Matthew Lillard's character in Man of Tomorrow may not be a familiar face. Released in 2025, James Gunn's Superman introduced David Corenswet as Clark Kent, a central figure in the DCU. After the movie found success with audiences and critics, Gunn is set to bring sequel Man of Tomorrow to theaters next year, with Lillard confirmed to have joined the cast in an unknown role. In an interview with The Direct, Lillard suggests that the figure he's playing in the Superman sequel might be an original creation from Gunn, rather than someone comics readers will have any relationship with. The actor is careful not to reveal too much, just calling his character "a very James Gunn moment." Check out Lillard's full comment below: "It's a very James Gunn moment. So, I wouldn't worry too much about finding him in the comics." Lillard is one of a number of newcomers expected in the Man of Tomorrow cast, including Lars Eidinger as Brainiac, Aaron Pierre as Green Lantern, and Xolo Maridueña as Blue Beetle. Adria Arjona, Sinqua Walls, and Andre Royo are also among the cast newcomers, but they don't yet have known roles. Set to follow Superman and Lex Luther (Nicholas Hoult) as they are forced to team up to defeat a new threat, the Superman sequel is bringing back Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., Edi Gathegi as Mr. Terrific, and Milly Alcock as Supergirl. How Lillard fits into this sprawling cast remains to be seen, but the actor's comment seemingly debunks at least one popular rumor. One prevailing theory online is that Lillard is playing Ted Kord, the second incarnation of Blue Beetle. Kord, however, is a relatively prominent character in DC Comics, meaning Lillard's comment has all but confirmed that this theory is not correct. If Lillard is playing an original creation, this wouldn't necessarily be surprising given Gunn's storytelling patterns thus far. Though the writer, director, and DC Studios boss adheres to the comics source material in many ways in his projects, he has also departed in others, devising new characters to accompany popular superheroes. In Peacemaker, for example, Gunn introduces Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), Amanda Waller's daughter. Adebayo ends up becoming a central figure in Christopher Smith's (John Cena) story, especially in season 2. Peacemaker also departs from the comics with the introduction of The Butterflies, small parasitic alien creatures. Gunn similarly departed from DC Comics in Creature Commandos with his introduction of Princess Ilana Rostovic, who becomes that show's central villain. Lillard not playing an established DC character, then, certainly tracks, and the warm reception to the two shows mentioned above suggests this could be a good thing. Many questions remain about Man of Tomorrow, but Lillard, after also featuring in Daredevil: Born Again season 2, is becoming more of a regular in superhero storytelling. It's unclear how Lillard's new character will affect Superman's story in the sequel, but audiences evidently shouldn't be turning to the comics to find hints of who he might be playing.