‘I’m excited about it’: Frank Grillo teases Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow

Frank Grillo has teased his Rick Flag Sr. will have a “big part” to play in the Superman follow-up Man of Tomorrow.

Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. has a “big part” to play in the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow

The 60-year-old actor starred as the U.S. Army General in the 2025 DC superhero blockbuster, and Grillo has now revealed his character will be an important player in director James Gunn’s follow-up.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, he said: “My character, Rick Flag Sr., is a big part of the sequel’s story, so I’m excited about it.”

While Man of Tomorrow will feature David Corenswet’s Man of Steel and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, Gunn had said the movie will not be a direct sequel to Superman.

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, the 59-year-old filmmaker 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. It’s as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie. I relate to the character of Lex, sadly.”

As well as the story, the Guardians of the Galaxy director revealed Man of Tomorrow would enter production in April 2026 ahead of its July 2027 release.

He said: “That was at the beginning when I took on DC and I promised myself I’m slowing down at least a tiny bit.

“Although I am creating the Superman sequel that we’re starting to shoot in April or so. I’m done writing that for the most part.”

The Peacemaker creator added Man of Tomorrow has been an idea he has “had for a long time”.

Reflecting on the wider DCU, Gunn said he was planning to tell “one big story” through his superhero films, though insisted each entry would also be able to stand on its own two feet.

He explained: “It’s a part of the plan of the DCU. There is one big story.

“On the one hand, everything is gonna be okay to watch by itself, but also there’s a bigger story being told that involves, say, Salvation.

“And so that story involves Rick Flag, it involves Lex and Superman. So there’s those movies that I’m gonna be directing.

“That’s the plan right now, at least. I may get so f****** tired that I can’t do it, because I’m pretty tired. But we’ll see. But there’s a plan that I’m gonna do. You know, it’s a couple more, at least.”

Gunn also admitted it was “challenging” to work on projects that he himself did not direct, such as Clayface, Supergirl and The Batman: Part II.

He said: “I am by nature a writer and director, but that’s my experience as being a writer and director.

“I’ve produced things, but it doesn’t come as naturally to me. It doesn’t feel like it does. And so that is trying to be the best producer I can. That’s something that, for me, it’s just a personal challenge.

“I’m focused on being the best producer and supporting those creators the best I can to help tell good stories, really. I’m beholden to the story in those things as much as I am to the story in my own stuff.

“So my central concern is the same, whether it’s a movie I’m directing or something else.”