Adria Arjona Talks Filming Mystery DC Role For Man Of Tomorrow Superman Sequel
EXCLUSIVE: The most highly anticipated installment in the DC Universe gets new teases from one of the stars.
James Gunn’s DC reboot is still in its early days, with numerous projects slated for the DCU’s Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters.” While iconic heroes like Superman and Supergirl have been brought back to the big screen, the franchise is just getting started.
During the latest installment of Coffee Chats with ScreenRant’s Liam Crowley, Onslaught star Adria Arjona, who is making her DCU debut in 2027’s Man of Tomorrow, discussed her mystery role in the upcoming comic book installment. As the sequel has finished filming, the Andor alum shared the following about boarding Gunn’s superhero franchise:
Liam Crowley: It’s going to be a big 2027 for you.
Adria Arjona: Is that where you’re going to segue now?
Liam Crowley: I was going to go for a little Man of Tomorrow. Am I the 150th person to ask you about this?
Adria Arjona: [I’ve used] all my tactics. I’m running out of tactics, so I’m scared.
Liam Crowley: I was going to ask you if you’re tired of talking about it when you really can’t say anything. Or can you say stuff? Are you annoyed that people just don’t believe you when you are telling the truth?
Adria Arjona: Well, look… I don’t want to lie, but I also want to protect the audience’s experience. So, it’s a little dance that I’m learning to navigate, and it’s hard. It’s really hard. I almost got busted [earlier].
Liam Crowley: Can you allude to how?
Adria Arjona: I’m not going to tell you, because then I’m going to go down that pathway real quick. I’m getting better!
Liam Crowley: I love asking actors who are in secretive projects to give spoilers without context. Imagine if I had asked David Corenswet two years ago to say one thing about Superman, and he had said, “Punk rock.” When you see the film, it’s like, “Oh, it all connects.” For Onslaught, I would say, “Chainsaw.” Is there anything you can say about Man of Tomorrow, whether it be one word or one phrase, that we will definitely not understand until after watching the film?
Adria Arjona: Oh my God! Everything that I say is like… I just thought of three, but I just got into the DC universe. I really don’t want to get fired, so I’m gonna I’m gonna keep my mouth shut. Is that cool? I’m just so nervous. I’m like, “What?” I have three in my head, which are pretty good, and if I say them, people won’t figure them out. But the people in charge will, and then I’m scared.
Liam Crowley: When you spoke to my team at SDCC, you said you hadn’t filmed yet. Filming has since wrapped, so is it fair to say you’ve shot your scenes?
Adria Arjona: Yeah. Great experience. We had a nice, little dinner to celebrate. David was there, and Nick was there. I was just happy that it happened as the movie was wrapping up, so we could celebrate the moment, celebrate the movie, and celebrate the reunion with James and Peter. It was really fun.
Ever since Arjona was added to the Man of Tomorrow cast, there has been endless speculation and rumors about who she is actually playing. Initially, it seemed that she had been tapped to play DC’s Maxima, but as The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, and Variety reported different details, her character is still unknown.
Since the DCU’s Wonder Woman reboot is currently in development at DC Studios, she has been a major fan favorite for the iconic heroine for quite a while, as many believe Diana Prince will be introduced in Gunn’s Superman follow-up.
While speaking with ScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns, Gal Gadot confirmed she will not return to the DCU as the famous superhero. As Man of Tomorrow finished filming in August, Arjona’s role has managed to remain a secret.
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
02
Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
03
Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
04
In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
05
Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
06
After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
07
As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
08
This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013).
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
Mission Complete Your Kryptonian Record
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Are you the Man of Steel — or still stuck in a phone booth?
The 2027 entry will see David Corenswet’s Superman and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor joining forces, as the franchise is introducing one of the most powerful villains from the comics, with Lars Eidinger bringing Brainiac to life in Gunn’s summer feature. Several DCU heroes are set to return for the project, including Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart, a.k.a. Green Lantern, along with Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl and Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner.
In terms of how Arjona fits into the overall story, the first Man of Tomorrow trailer will hopefully offer some clues about who she is playing. If she does end up being revealed as Wonder Woman, it will be fascinating to see how Diana factors into Gunn’s latest adventure.
Onslaught is now playing in theaters, while Man of Tomorrow opens on July 9, 2027.
