James Gunn Censored the Face of a Crew Member in Man of Tomorrow’s Photo, and We Might Know Why

Man of Tomorrow is the direct follow-up to 2025’s Superman, set to introduce Brainiac (Lars Eidinger) to theatrical audiences for the first time while tasked with convincing audiences and investors of the viability of the DC Universe strategy. James Gunn is writing and directing the sequel himself, reuniting David Corenswet (Superman/Clark Kent) and Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor) as reluctant allies against the alien collector. Sadly,  the film now also carries the added burden of steadying the DCU’s box office momentum after Supergirl flopped this summer. With that much riding on the July 2027 release, Gunn has stayed glued to the Atlanta set even through his own birthday this week, August 5th, and while the cast and crew made sure to mark the occasion, the celebratory photo he shared afterward left one detail conspicuously scrubbed from view.

Gunn posted an Instagram photo showing dozens of Man of Tomorrow cast and crew members gathered in front of a massive blue screen wall, thanking them for spending his birthday on set. Just beside Hoult’s bald Lex Luthor look, the image has been edited to obscure the face of another person entirely. That individual is not wearing a crew shirt, which suggests a cast member, and the silhouette appears to be male. Notably absent from the photo altogether is Eidinger, who plays Brainiac and would be an obvious fit for a shoot built around blue screen effects work. The likeliest explanation is that Eidinger was standing right there in full Brainiac makeup and prosthetics that couldn’t simply be removed for a quick group photo, and that Gunn is still not ready to reveal to the public.

When Will James Gunn Share Brainiac’s First Look?

Gunn’s rollout for Superman offers a useful blueprint for guessing how Man of Tomorrow‘s marketing will unfold. Production on Superman began February 29, 2024, and the first official photo of Corenswet in his suit followed a little over two months later, on May 6, 2024, roughly fourteen months ahead of the film’s July 11, 2025 premiere. The first teaser trailer arrived later still, debuting in December 2024, about seven months before release. Man of Tomorrow is tracking a similar rhythm. Filming began April 20, 2026, and set photos revealing Corenswet’s redesigned suit surfaced within about six weeks, in early June, echoing that same early-reveal pattern from the first film. If the ratio holds, a first teaser trailer for Man of Tomorrow should land around December 2026, which would also be the natural moment for Gunn to finally let Brainiac’s design see daylight.

Brainiac is far from the only draw pulling fans toward Man of Tomorrow. Milly Alcock is set to reprise Supergirl following her rocky solo adventure, while Nathan Fillion returns as Guy Gardner and Isabela Merced reprises Hawkgirl, both carrying over from the original Superman ensemble alongside Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific. On top of that, Aaron Pierre will bring his John Stewart over from Lanterns, the HBO Max series premiering this August, giving the Green Lantern a live-action showcase before he jumps straight into the DCU’s biggest 2027 tentpole. Even Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle is set to return. Adding to the mystery, Adria Arjona joined the cast in an unconfirmed role, with conflicting reports pointing to either the warrior queen Maxima or, more surprisingly, Wonder Woman. Gunn appears to be assembling one of the DCU’s largest ensembles yet, even before Brainiac’s design is revealed, and Man of Tomorrow is poised to be a massive theatrical event.

Man of Tomorrow is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 9, 2027.