Thankfully, at least, this version doesn't get caught up in trying to chronicle life on Krypton or even Clark's childhood.
If you've read any of the classic origin comics like Man of Steel or Superman: Birthright - or just watched the 1978 live-action movie - you'll know more or less exactly what to expect from Clark's journey. The movie definitely plays it too safe in terms of plot. Naturally, that conservative approach has its benefits and drawbacks. Man of Tomorrow rarely deviates from the established path when it comes to chronicling Superman's origin. Both Lobo (Ryan Hurst) and Martian Manhunter (Ike Amadi) play major roles in the story, and there are various other nods to the larger DC Universe along the way. Man of Tomorrow also begins laying the foundation for what is presumably a new shared universe. Only Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen is strangely MIA.
Man of Tomorrow packs in most of the Superman mainstays fans would expect, including Lex Luthor (Zachary Quinto), Lois Lane, (Alexandra Daddario) and Ma and Pa Kent (Bellamy Young and Neil Flynn), with Parasite (Brett Dalton) serving as the fledgling hero's first real opponent. His struggle to reconcile his human and alien sides forms the crux of the conflict. Man of Tomorrow is set very early in his superhero career, before Kal-El (Darren Criss) has donned his iconic costume or even fully come to terms with his Kryptonian heritage. It seems only fitting to usher in what looks to be a brand new animated universe by heading back to the beginning and chronicling Superman's origin. Man of Tomorrow is the first of these direct-to-video projects to arrive since Justice League Dark: Apokolips War closed the door on the animated DC Universe Movies continuity earlier in 2020.