With James Gunn’s Superman on the cusp of release, fans have already begun to wonder which characters will return in future DC projects. The much-awaited superhero flick introduces David Corenswet as the new face of the Man of Steel, along with several other exciting DC characters. The movie is coming out on July 11, 2025, in the US.
So, here are all the Superman characters who have secured a spot in upcoming DCU productions.
List of every Superman character who will return in DCU
Green Lantern
Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner is one of the many Green Lanterns in the intergalactic space corps. Besides making his debut in the upcoming Superman movie, DC Studios has confirmed his return in two more future projects. He is all set to appear in Peacemaker Season 2 as a cameo. He will also appear in the HBO Max series Lanterns, starring Aaron Pierre as John Stewart.
Hawkgirl
Another DC star returning in Peacemaker Season 2 is Isabela Merced’s Kendra Saunders, also known as Hawkgirl. She appears in Season 2’s trailer alongside Fillion’s Green Lantern, interrogating John Cena’s Peacemaker to recruit him to their team.
Maxwell Lord
Superman director James Gunn’s brother, actor Sean Gunn, takes on the role of tech billionaire Maxwell Lord in the Superman movie. In addition to the upcoming film, Gunn will reprise his role in Peacemaker Season 2. Fans spotted him with Hawkgirl and Green Lantern in Season 2’s trailer, joining the duo in recruiting Peacemaker.
Rick Flag Sr.
Frank Grillo debuted as Rick Flag Sr. in the animated series Creature Commandos and has several future DCU projects lined up. In addition to returning in Creature Commandos Season 2, he will also appear as the ARGUS director in Superman and Peacemaker Season 2.
Mr. Terrific
The third Justice Gang member, Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Terrific, will be introduced in Gunn’s Superman. Although he may not appear in Peacemaker Season 2 alongside his teammates Hawkgirl and Green Lantern, Mr. Terrific has secured a spot in other exciting projects. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actor stated that “[Superman] isn’t the only project that I’ll be in.” Several reports suggest that he may voice Mr. Terrific in an upcoming animated DC project.
The Engineer
The Engineer will be one of the most formidable villains in Superman. María Gabriela de Faría, who portrays the character, has recently confirmed that she had a conversation with Gunn. The discussion was about the character’s future in the franchise. “We did have a bit of that conversation about the future of the Engineer. And [Gunn] was very secretive… He’s keeping me in the dark, but apparently, he has a great idea of what to do with this character,” revealed de Faría. Although it has not been officially confirmed, fans believe that The Engineer will take center stage in the adaptation of The Authority because she is a seminal member of the superhero team.
Superman
David Corenswet’s anticipated debut as the DC superhero has opened up many opportunities for the character’s future in the franchise. Although there has been no explicit confirmation of his future projects, many believe that Corenswet will reprise his role in the upcoming 2026 movie. The film is titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and stars Milly Alcock as the titular hero.
