Superman is back in 2026 and the Man of Steel’s new flight has seen him find the ally that will be his biggest weapon against Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow. David Corenswet’s Superman has turned into the most important superhero early on in the new DC Universe. The character was responsible for leading the franchise’s first movie, which was a hit.
After James Gunn’s Superman movie became a global sensation, a sequel was quickly put into motion. Man of Tomorrow, the Superman movie sequel, is set to fly into theaters on July 9, 2027, almost exactly a year from today. The movie will focus on Corenswet’s Superman and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor reluctantly teaming up to stop Brainiac, who is played by Lars Eidinger.
After Superman saw Lex and Clark Kent as rivals, Man of Tomorrow will show a different side of that relationship. Lex Luthor is the smartest man alive, being well-versed in interdimensional technology, which would be directly related to how Brainiac comes to Earth in the Superman movie sequel. That said, the villain of the DCU’s first movie will not be Superman’s biggest ally.
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
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Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
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Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
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In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
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Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
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After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
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As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
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This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013).
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
Mission Complete Your Kryptonian Record
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Are you the Man of Steel — or still stuck in a phone booth?
Gunn decided to introduce many DC heroes in Superman, setting them up for other projects in the franchise. Among them were the Justice Gang, with all members of the superhero team either confirmed or reported to return in Man of Tomorrow. Additionally, Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart, a Green Lantern, will also appear. However, none of them are Superman’s biggest ally for Man of Tomorrow.
Supergirl Sets Up Kara’s Role In Man Of Tomorrow
Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Supergirl.Supergirl is currently playing in theaters, serving as the second movie in the DCU. Throughout the film, Milly Alcock’s Supergirl goes on a galaxy-wide journey to save her last piece of home, Krypto. By the end of Supergirl, Kara has changed, and DC fans get the character’s full picture, with the film explaining why she behaves so differently from Corenswet’s Superman. After her rebellious phase was left behind, Supergirl ends with Kara now choosing to give Earth a try. At the start of the DC movie, Supergirl kept avoiding Superman’s questions about when she would return to the planet.
However, after having helped Ruthye and killed Krem of the Yellow Hills, Supergirl ends her DC movie back on Earth and right at Superman’s apartment. Her personality remains different from Clark’s, but she is more inclined to bridge the gap between them. Based on all the trauma she endured on the floating piece of Krypton, watching her people die around her, the ending leaves fans with the understanding that now that Kara is back on Earth, she is going to want to protect the planet with all her might, making her one of its biggest heroes.
Why Milly Alcock’s Supergirl Is Superman’s Biggest Ally Against Brainiac
Brainiac in Kryptonvia MovieStillsDB
In terms of brains, Superman’s biggest allies remain Lex Luthor and Mr. Terrific. However, due to how Milly Alcock’s Supergirl is only second to the Man of Steel’s power in the DCU thus far, based on their feats in the heroes’ respective solo movies, the Girl of Steel skates past Lex when it comes to Superman’s biggest allies to take down Brainiac in 2027’s Man of Tomorrow. Besides her raw power, Krypton’s destruction hurt Supergirl deep, so she will not let the same happen to Earth now that she has the power to stop it.
When her home world was destroyed, Supergirl was only a teenager in the DCU. Additionally, she did not have any powers on Krypton, only getting them when she was sent to Earth. Sure, the DC movie will feature other powerful characters, with two Green Lanterns, Hawkgirl and more set to appear, and heroes like Martian Manhunter and Wonder Woman rumored to show up. However, as things currently stand, Supergirl’s powers and her backstory make her Superman’s biggest asset against Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow.