Matthew Lillard’s Hollywood Comeback Continues With ‘Superman’ Sequel Role

Matthew Lillard’s Hollywood comeback just reached superhero status.

According to Deadline, the “Scream” and “Scooby-Doo” actor has officially joined the cast of “Man of Tomorrow,” the upcoming “Superman” sequel from DC Studios. The film is being written, directed and produced by James Gunn, with David Corenswet returning as Superman/Clark Kent.

Details surrounding Lillard’s role are still under wraps, but the casting marks another major project for the actor, whose career resurgence has picked up major momentum over the last few years.

The upcoming DC film already features a stacked cast that includes Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Lars Eidinger as Brainiac, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Adria Arjona as Maxima and Aaron Pierre in an undisclosed role.

Per Deadline, “Man of Tomorrow” is currently in production and is scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027.

Matthew Lillard and James Gunn Reunite After ‘Scooby-Doo’

The casting also serves as a full-circle moment for Lillard and Gunn.

According to Variety, “Man of Tomorrow” reunites the pair roughly 25 years after they worked together on the live-action “Scooby-Doo” movies, where Lillard famously played Shaggy Rogers and Gunn wrote the screenplay.

Those films have only grown more popular over time, especially with younger audiences discovering them years later through streaming and social media clips.

Lillard recently reflected on that nostalgia factor during an appearance on the “Phase Hero” podcast in April. Per People, the actor believes the renewed appreciation for projects like “Scooby-Doo” and “Scream” has played a huge role in his recent success.

“Scooby-Doo one and two are more popular now than they ever were when they came out,” Lillard said. “There’s a weird nostalgia thing happening in our industry and in the zeitgeist because I think that people are longing for ye olde times.”

The actor also admitted there was a point where he worried his career had slowed down permanently.

“At one point, I felt irrelevant and thought I was never going to work again,” he shared.

Still, Lillard explained that the current wave of reboots, revivals and legacy sequels has created new opportunities for actors closely tied to that era of entertainment.

“I think that’s one of the reasons I’m having this moment to be honest, is because I was identified in that moment, so people are hiring me again,” he said.

The ‘Lillardissance’ Shows No Signs of Slowing Down

Lillard’s recent run of projects has reminded fans just how many iconic franchises he has been part of over the years.

Deadline noted that the actor recently returned to the “Scream” franchise for “Scream 7,” reprising his fan-favorite role as Stu Macher. He also appeared in Season 2 of “Cross” and recently showed up in Season 2 of Marvel’s “Daredevil: Born Again.”

He is also set to appear in A24’s upcoming “Carrie” series.

Meanwhile, “Man of Tomorrow” is expected to continue building out Gunn’s new DC Universe. The sequel will reportedly shift away from more traditional superhero origin storytelling and focus more heavily on the “uneasy alliance” between Superman and Lex Luthor.

Even with the recent success, Lillard has continued approaching the attention with humor.

“I don’t think anyone really likes me,” he joked during the “Phase Hero” podcast. “They just miss the old times.”

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