James Gunn is back at it again dispelling false rumors about the DC Universe, and this time he’s directing his attention towards Creature Commandos. Gunn and Peter Safran’s rebooted DCU officially begins next month with the animated Creature Commandos series, which features the paranormal version of Task Force X, a.k.a. The Suicide Squad. The team of anti-heroes are led by one of DC’s most unassumingly violent villains, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), but a new rumor claims that the iconic Superman antagonist, Lex Luthor, will appear in the show.

Taking to his unofficial second home of Threads, Gunn addressed the rumor head on, while clarifying where Creature Commandos and Superman fit in the DC timeline. A report has been circulating online that a younger Lex Luthor will appear in Creature Commandos. However, it has caused confusion within the fan base, as it would imply that the animated series takes place several years before Superman (which hits theaters next July). When asked, “is this true? If it is, what’s the timeline like between [Creature Commandos] and Superman?,” Gunn immediately clarified that the rumor is false. He answered:

“It’s not true. Plenty of fun appearances in Creature Commandos but
no Lex, young, or otherwise.
”

The director and co-president of DC Studios then clarified that Creature Commandos and Superman will take place very near to each other — even closer than their release dates would suggest. “And Creature Commandos happens only months before Superman,” he continued. Lex Luthor is already confirmed to appear in the new DCU, with Nicholas Hoult debuting the character in Superman. Fans are still waiting for a trailer for the film, but Hoult’s hairless villain has been revealed in leaked set photos during the film’s production.

Nicholas Hoult Has “Done Something Special” With Lex Luthor
@jamesgunn/Threads

The capitalistic billionaire, Lex Luthor, is one of the Man of Steel’s most iconic villains. While presenting himself as a philanthropist to the world who is skeptical of Superman’s threat level to the human race, in his heart, Luthor is jealous of Superman’s popularity among the citizens of America, and seeks to destroy him because of a personal vendetta. Last month, Hoult teased audiences with what to expect from his portrayal as the CEO of Lex-Corp. The actor said, “it’s a little too early to say what’s different about my Lex Luthor,” but he teased that the DCU’s version will be more faithful to the comics. Hoult continued:

“I’m a fan of Superman and Lex Luthor as a character, so hopefully we’ve done something special with it that people enjoy.”

Related Was James Gunn’s Superman Villain Leaked? This Is Everything You Need to Know We’re not talking about Brainiac here, folks… It seems like Superman has an evil variant.

In the past, Lex Luthor was brought to the big screen by Gene Hackman in Christopher Reeve’s Superman and, more recently, by Jessie Eissenberg in the DCEU. Like much of Zack Snyder’s take on the world of DC Comics, Eissenberg’s version of the villain was a far cry from the calm and calculated businessman from the comics, as his Luthor was a skittish, poetry reciting nerd, who had strange mannerisms and peed in the bottles of his enemies. Fans are hoping that Hoult’s version brings him back to his comic book roots.

Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor appears in
Superman
when it releases in theaters on July 11, 2025.

Creature Commandos
premieres on Max on December 5, 2024.

Creature Commandos is an animated television series that follows a team of supernatural beings, including a werewolf, vampire, and gorgon, assembled by the government for high-risk missions. This unique group navigates various challenges as they leverage their distinct abilities to combat threats. The show offers a blend of action, horror, and dark humor, set in a universe where classic monsters are reimagined as heroes.Release Date December 5, 2024 Cast Indira Varma , Frank Grillo , Zoe Chao , David Harbour , Sean Gunn , Alan Tudyk , Anya Chalotra , Maria Bakalova , Viola Davis , Steve Agee , Benjamin Byron Davis Seasons 1