Particularly after the box office disappointment for Supergirl, DC fans are hoping to see the DCU pick itself up, dust itself off, and hit it big again on the big screen with next year’s Man of Tomorrow, a sequel movie to Superman (2025). Currently, the DCU is actually having another success with the ongoing TV series Lanterns, although streaming shows and blockbuster movies arguably feel like entirely different ballgames. There is therefore quite a bit of nervousness about seeing how Man of Tomorrow will ultimately perform. Notably, Superman did start things off strong for DCU movies, generally being well-received and introducing audiences to David Corenswet’s Superman, who has proven to be very popular.
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This suggests that Man of Tomorrow will have a leg up in terms of audience investment (although, on the other hand, Corenswet also played a role in Supergirl, and that connection was apparently not enough to sway viewers), but that certainly remains to be seen. Part of what may determine Man of Tomorrow’s fate is the introduction of new characters and whether audiences respond positively, as they did to Corenswet’s Superman, or with backlash and criticism, such as with Supergirl’s villain Krem. One name that has consistently risen to the top in terms of audience interest and hopes is Adria Arjona, whose Man of Tomorrow role is confirmed, but the specific character remains a mystery. Many, however, are strongly suspecting that Arjona is playing Wonder Woman, especially based on some recent updates, and while that’s exciting, how this reveal is rolled out could be make or break.
Why Are Audiences So Convinced Arjona Is Wonder Woman?
When it was announced that Arjona would be joining Man of Tomorrow in a mystery role, it was immediately strongly suspected that this character was Wonder Woman. For one, Arjona already seemed like a solid fit for the character, but also, bringing Wonder Woman in for Man of Tomorrow would make sense in terms of the DCU’s overall approach, especially with talk of a standalone DCU Wonder Woman movie already being in development. There have been a number of more concrete hints that Arjona will be taking on this iconic role, though, the most prominent of which has been her intense workout regimen for the movie.
Recently, as shared by Variety, Arjona has described a jaw-droppingly intense daily workout routine (while simultaneously dodging any confirmation once again). The star explained, “I wake up. I do cardio for about 45 minutes. Then I do weightlifting for about two hours. Then after the workout, I’ll have a bite to eat. We’ll box for six rounds and then I eat again. And then I eat and I eat and I go to sleep. It’s a job. I’m really enjoying it. I’m enjoying the transformation, but it’s it’s hard work. I’ve never felt stronger, but it’s hard. The excitement of playing the woman I’m playing gives me everything I need to wake up. Physically, it’s exhausting, but it’s all for the greater good.”
Several things are notable about this explanation from Arjona. For one, the sheer intensity of the work suggests that this character is incredibly important; otherwise, why would there be so much time invested? That seemingly lends itself to the idea that Arjona is playing Wonder Woman, although there has been plenty of speculation that she may actually be playing Maxima, which would also be significant and justify such demands. Yet, her comments about the “excitement of playing the woman [she’s] playing” have also sparked plenty of conversation about all signs currently pointing to Wonder Woman.
Too Much Secrecy Could Cause Man of Tomorrow Some Issues in the Long Run
There is plenty of excitement about Arjona as Wonder Woman for a reason. She is a brilliant actor, and she’s clearly very committed to her Man of Tomorrow role, whatever it ends up being (including with her workout regimen that certainly does seem befitting of Wonder Woman). However, it’s possible to drag things on for too long, lose audience interest, weaken the excitement over the eventual reveal, and even frustrate fans. Already, that frustration seems to be building, and it’s understandable. We still have many months to go before Man of Tomorrow will hit theaters, and it’s already growing a bit tiresome to have the constant hints about who Arjona could be playing but then a refusal to confirm the rumors one way or another. Clearly, fans are feeling that fatigue.
If Arjona is Wonder Woman, that definitely deserves to be celebrated and treated as an exciting reveal. In fact, that will no doubt be true regardless of who Arjona is playing. Yet, Man of Tomorrow may already be testing fans’ patience, and with almost a year ahead of us before this movie makes its debut, this doesn’t seem like the wisest strategy. Rather than dragging it out, at this point, it might be better to just make the announcement and then have fans build up their excitement about seeing her interpretation of the character rather than about who she is going to be playing. In fairness, Spider-Man: Brand New Day did take a similar approach with Sadie Sink’s Jean Grey, teasing that possibility and fueling fan speculation without confirming the role until the movie was released. Man of Tomorrow’s Wonder Woman problem seems different, though, especially because of the timing.
Arguably, James Gunn should take the opportunity to announce Arjona’s character before it becomes too late. Sometimes, the element of surprise cannot and should not be the most important thing.
