Matthew Lillard’s Man of Tomorrow Role May Be Bigger Than Expected

Fans have been wondering about Matthew Lillard’s role in James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow ever since his casting was announced back in May. A new casting rumor (via Atlanta DC Fans) suggest that Lillard will play the character of King Faraday in the highly-anticipated Superman sequel. When his casting was first confirmed by Deadline, fans guessed that he could play Barry Allen. However, the new rumors suggest we could see him in a more obscure character.

Faraday made his DC Comics debut back in 1950 in Danger Trail #1 by Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino. While he has never appeared in a live-action DC project, Faraday had a brief introduction in HBO’s Peacemaker Season 2.

How Matthew Lillard’s Rumored Role Connects to an HBO Series

A Still from Peacemaker Season 2 | Credit: HBO

Given James Gunn‘s love for classic DC Comics, it won’t be surprising if he decided to bring Faraday into Man of Tomorrow, marking the character’s live-action DC debut. Since Matthew Lillard’s role largely remains a mystery, he could end up playing the veteran spy.

Interestingly, Faraday has a connection to the DCU through Peacemaker Season 2, which introduced Checkmate, the spy agency, which is portrayed differently in DC Comics. In the comics, Faraday is an ex-soldier and a counter-espionage agent for the government. He has appeared in several stories over the years, including ones in which he teamed up with Batman as a secret agent. Gunn, who created Peacemaker, said that he wanted to incorporate things like Checkmate and Salvation from comics even before he started the DCU.

All Confirmed Roles in Man of Tomorrow So Far

David Corenswet in James Gunn’s Superman | Credit: Warner Bros./ DC Studios

While Lillard’s role as King Faraday remains a rumor for now, many major roles have already been confirmed in James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow. David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult will reprise their respective roles as Superman and Lex Luthor, with the two forming an unlikely alliance in the movie. Lars Eidinger is set to play Brainiac, the biggest threat Superman and Lex will face in the sequel.

The returning cast includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, and more.

Man of Tomorrow is scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027. Do you think Matthew Lillard will play King Faraday? Let us know what you think.