Production for Superman: Man of Tomorrow is officially underway. On April 20, director James Gunn offered a cryptic teaser: a photo featuring a stark red-and-black chessboard positioned beside Lex Luthor’s Van Kull Department of Corrections identification. Notably, the crest displayed at the top of the frame bears a visual resemblance to the aesthetic of Brainiac.
We last encountered Luthor behind bars in the Peacemaker series at Belle Reve. Given the recent introduction of the clandestine organization “Checkmate” in the same show, this chessboard might be a deliberate nod to Greg Rucka’s acclaimed comic run. Then again, it could just be an innocuous prop resting near a bag of chips.
In cinematic history, chess is often used to symbolize a mental tug-of-war between titans, most famously in the X-Men franchise. It serves as a stage where opposing ideologies clash under the guise of strategy. In the DC Universe, the game is a fitting obsession for a man like Luthor, who prides himself on being the most cunning strategist in the room.
However, Luthor isn’t the only one drawn to the board. Superman has a long history with the game, ranging from high-stakes matches against his own robotic duplicates in the Silver Age to the surreal imagery of a gargantuan board populated by life-sized statues of his allies and enemies in the Fortress of Solitude as seen in All-Star Superman.
The rivalry often spills onto the board. In Superman: Son of Kal-El 2021 Annual #1, Jon Kent manages to outmaneuver Luthor during a match, using the game to point out that Lex’s desire for control is ultimately self-defeating. While Clark often refuses to engage in Luthor’s intellectual mind games, Jon forces him to confront his own arrogance, delivering a checkmate that serves as a stinging metaphor for their conflict.
Even in the divergent timeline of Injustice, chess remains a thematic constant. In the ninth issue, a grieving and increasingly authoritarian Superman challenges The Flash to a match. The game unfolds alongside a heated philosophical debate about the ethics of “saving” humanity. While Superman attempts to rely on sheer calculation, he underestimates Barry Allen’s intelligence—resulting in a defeat that mirrors the growing instability of his own regime.
While we don’t expect a guest appearance from The Flash in Man of Tomorrow, the recurring presence of chess suggests that the upcoming film will lean into the complex, layered psychological warfare that defines the relationship between Kent and Luthor. Perhaps, amidst the maneuvering, they might find a temporary alliance to face an even greater threat.
Superman: Man of Tomorrow premieres in theaters on July 9, 2027.
Source: Polygon
