Aaron Pierre is heading to the big screen as one of DC’s most iconic heroes. The actor has joined the cast of Man of Tomorrow, the upcoming sequel to James Gunn’s Superman, where he will portray John Stewart, better known as Green Lantern.
Pierre, 31, is already set to play the character in the HBO series Lanterns, and his casting in the film signals Gunn’s larger vision of a fully interconnected DC Universe that spans both television and film.
James Gunn wrote the script for Man of Tomorrow and will return to direct the sequel, which is scheduled to begin production this summer in Atlanta. The film continues the story launched in last year’s Superman, the movie that officially kicked off the new DC Universe.
Several cast members from the first film will return. David Corenswet reprises his role as Superman, while Nicholas Hoult returns as Lex Luthor. Rachel Brosnahan will again play Lois Lane, with Skyler Gisondo back as Jimmy Olsen and Sara Sampaio returning as Eve Teschmacher.
The sequel will also introduce one of Superman’s most formidable adversaries. German actor Lars Eidinger has been cast as Brainiac, the alien superintelligence and classic DC villain.
Pierre’s Green Lantern appearance fits naturally within the story. John Stewart is part of the intergalactic Green Lantern Corps, the spacefaring peacekeeping force tasked with protecting planets across the universe. With both Superman and Brainiac tied to extraterrestrial origins, Stewart’s presence expands the cosmic scope of the DC Universe.
The original Superman marked the official launch of Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted DC Studios slate. Gunn previously described making the film as the most challenging project of his career, largely because of the expectations surrounding the iconic character.
“This was the hardest movie I’ve ever made,” Gunn said on the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast. “The next hardest was probably the first Guardians. With Guardians, you were building a corner of the universe that felt completely different from everything else Marvel was doing at the time. Here, I was reorienting something everyone already thinks they understand. Strangely, it’s the most comic-book-driven thing I’ve ever done.”
He added that finding the right actor for Superman was critical to the film’s progress. “Everyone in the world thinks something different about Superman. Everybody knows who he is,” Gunn said. “There were all the eyes on us — on DC, on the DCU, on everything. That pressure was real. If I couldn’t find Superman, I wasn’t going to make the movie.”
Gunn said Corenswet’s audition convinced him the project could succeed. “I remember thinking after Corenswet’s audition, ‘If that’s the worst we do, we’re in great shape.’”
Alongside directing, Gunn also serves as co-CEO of DC Studios with producer Peter Safran, a dual role he admits is unusual in Hollywood. “I don’t think it’s ever really been done,” Gunn said. “Even Walt Disney was more of a producer than a director. It’s an experiment. Sometimes it probably sounds like madness — especially since I don’t make the most conventional films. But I love big spectacle. That’s my jam.”
He added that the workload remains daunting. “I originally said no to the job. I didn’t want to do what Kevin Feige does. But once Peter and I knew we’d be doing it together, it became exciting. I still don’t know if it’s sustainable in the long term. It’s a lot. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.”
Man of Tomorrow is expected to further expand the DC Universe as Gunn continues building the studio’s interconnected slate of films and series.
The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
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