James Gunn Denies Matthew Lillard Casting Rumor for Superman Man of Tomorrow

While several familiar faces are reprising their DC roles in Man of Tomorrow, which is James Gunn’s sequel to 2025’s Superman, fans are curious about potential new cast members. Earlier this week, rumors began swirling that Scream and Scooby-Doo actor Matthew Lillard would play the DC Universe character Barry Allen. The theory eventually reached Gunn, who gave a definitive answer on the topic.

Asked by a fan on Threads if Matthew Lillard is playing the Flash in Man of Tomorrow, Gunn gave a direct response by simply saying, “No.” The rumor started after an insider account on X posted that Matthew Lillard’s character would have a biracial family and share scenes with Jimmy Olsen, Kat Grant, and Perry White. These details remain unconfirmed, but fans connected them to the idea of Matthew Lillard playing Barry Allen.

Some thought the ongoing HBO show Lanterns supported this theory because it depicts Hal Jordan as an older hero passing the torch to his successor. Fans theorized Matthew Lillard would portray a retired version of Allen mentoring Wally West. Now that Gunn has shut down the rumor, fans are left wondering who Matthew Lillard will actually play and whether the Flash will appear on the big screen soon.

What we know about Man of Tomorrow

Man of Tomorrow is scheduled for release on July 9, 2027. According to Gunn, the film features Lex Luthor and Superman forced to work together to fight a larger threat named Brainiac. David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult reprise their roles as Clark Kent, also known as Superman, and Lex Luthor, while Lars Eidinger joins the cast as Brainiac.

Several other characters from Gunn’s DC Universe also appear in the film. Rachel Brosnahan plays Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo plays Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced plays Hawkgirl, Frank Grillo plays Rick Flag Sr., María Gabriela de Faría plays the Engineer, Sara Sampaio plays Eve Teschmacher, Milly Alcock plays Supergirl, and Aaron Pierre plays John Stewart. Alongside Matthew Lillard, Andrey Royo and Sinqua Walls have unconfirmed roles. Adria Arjona appears in Man of Tomorrow as well, leading fans to speculate she will play Wonder Woman.

Source: Polygon