The leader of DC Studios just gave fans a major sneak peek from the Atlanta set of the next Superman movie. James Gunn released a photograph showing Nicholas Hoult fully dressed in Lex Luthor’s iconic warsuit. This marks the first time the famous comic book armor appears on the big screen.
The image shows Hoult standing in a sandy area, wearing the green and purple mechanical suit with a protective helmet over his head. Gunn shared the picture on social media with a simple message: “Fit check. Live from the set of ‘Man of Tomorrow.’”
The Warsuit Gets a Comic-Accurate and Practical Redesign
Gunn confirmed that the new Lex Luthor power suit is “100% practical.” Hoult is actually wearing the physical armor instead of relying on computer effects. The director praised the actor’s movement in the suit, noting that Hoult “can move incredibly well” while filming action scenes.
The design stays very close to the comic book version that first appeared in 1983’s Action Comics #544. However, the movie suit includes one big change. Luthor added “unbreakable Lexiglas” to protect his head. In most comic stories, the villain usually leaves his head exposed, trusting his intelligence to keep him safe.
Fans noticed another interesting detail on the armor. The suit carries an ARGUS logo across the chest instead of a LuthorCorp sign. ARGUS is the government spy agency in the DC Universe. This detail suggests that Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. might help Luthor get or build the suit.
Nicholas Hoult Joins Forces With Superman Against Brainiac
Man of Tomorrow is not a typical superhero fight story. The film forces Superman and Lex Luthor to work together. They face a much bigger threat: Brainiac, played by Lars Eidinger.
The warsuit gives Luthor the power to fight alongside David Corenswet’s Superman without getting crushed in two seconds. In the comics, the armor gives the wearer super strength, flight ability, force fields, and energy weapons.
Gunn explained the story during a radio interview. He said, “It is a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat. And it’s more complicated than that, but that’s a big part of it. It’s as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie.”
He also talked about his connection to the character. “I loved working with Nick Hoult, who played Lex; I relate to the character of Lex Luthor, sadly, so I really wanted to create something extraordinary with the two of them,” Gunn added.
Fan Reactions Range From Pure Excitement to Funny Comparisons
The internet had a lot to say after Gunn posted the picture. Many fans showed pure joy at seeing the classic suit come to life.
One fan on X wrote, “Now THAT’s aura” right after seeing the image. Another user posted, “NO F—ING WAYYYYYY, Y’ALL COOKED,” and that message got over 61,000 views. A different fan kept it simple with, “LOVE IT MR GUNN.”
“comic accurate once again.”
— Fan on X comparing the suit to original comic artwork
But not everyone focused on the serious side. Several fans pointed out that the helmet and green armor look similar to other famous characters.
One user said, “This suit kind of looks like Master Chief from Halo.” Another added, “a mix of Master Chief and Buzz Lightyear.” A third person joked, “Buzz would f him up.”
Some fans liked the TV versions more. One person argued, “The TV show had a better suit,” referring to Superman & Lois. Another claimed, “Lex Luthor’s armor from the 2013 Injustice game looked better lol.”
“What can I say, I cooked”
— Fan response alongside side-by-side comic comparisons
A Seven-Decade-Old Comic Book Prop Finally Hits Theaters
Lex Luthor first wore a powered suit in the comics in 1983. The design actually came from artist George Pérez for a toy line before appearing in the books. For over 40 years, fans have waited to see a big-screen version.
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TV shows like Supergirl and Superman & Lois showed their own takes on the armor. But those were smaller budget productions. Man of Tomorrow gives the suit the full Hollywood treatment for the first time.
The production team built a real, wearable suit for Hoult. This choice follows Gunn’s pattern of using practical effects whenever possible. The actor can move, fight, and act inside the heavy armor without waiting for computer animators to add the suit later.
Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters on July 9, 2027. The movie brings back Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and adds new DC characters to the story. Filming is currently happening in Atlanta, Georgia.
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For more DC Studios updates and Superman movie news, stay with VvipTimes for the latest from the set.
