Fans speculating that the classic DC crossover storyline “Panic In The Sky” inspired the upcoming “Superman” sequel can put that theory to rest — straight from the director himself.
In a recent post on Threads, James Gunn responded to a fan question about whether the 1992 comic book arc served as a major influence on “Man of Tomorrow”, which features Brainiac as its central villain. “Fun story but not really, no,” Gunn wrote.
He did, however, shed some light on his research process. “I read almost every Brainiac story to put Brainiac together and used bits and pieces I thought worked best,” Gunn explained, adding that “Panic In The Sky” simply wasn’t among the key influences on the film’s story.
The comments suggest Gunn took a broad, cherry-picking approach to the character’s comic history rather than drawing heavily from any single arc — which may leave the door open for plenty of surprises when “Man of Tomorrow” arrives in theaters.
“Man of Tomorrow” is scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027. Filming is scheduled to begin this April in Atlanta.
