James Gunn started the week by posting on X that he’s finished the first draft of his Man of Tomorrow script, and dropped a hint that Brainiac is indeed the villain.
😈🤝😇 #MoT 7.9.27 pic.twitter.com/aIKSFpaHff
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) September 22, 2025
The post includes devil and angel emojis with a handshake emoji in between, followed by, “#MoT 7.9.27.” Attached is an image of the script’s cover page, which prominently features an anatomical illustration of human neurology (The Brain…) in profile. Taken together, Gunn’s post seems to confirm what we’ve suspected for some time: that Man of Tomorrow is a bad guy and good guy team-up story, with Brainiac as the main antagonist.
Brainiac All Along
In an interview, James Gunn said that he’d considered using Brainiac in his Superman story, before ultimately settling on Lex Luthor. Given that the Milly Alcock-led Supergirl film has her traveling the galaxy, Gunn may have decided it offered a better opportunity for introducing Brainiac to DC Universe. Also, Supergirl is coming out next year, bridging the gap between Superman movies.
Today we celebrate #Supergirl and all her various incarnations. Can’t wait for you to see the latest version, portrayed by the indomitable @millyalcock, in June 2026.
Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh. pic.twitter.com/3sXwAFfxJb
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) March 31, 2025
Rumors about Brainiac appearing in Man of Tomorrow took off after Gary Buechler, host of the Nerdrotic YouTube channel, claimed that a source told him an earlier cut of Superman featured the cosmic villain in a post-credits sequence.
James Gunn sits for an interview – YouTube, GQ
While Gunn’s X post seems to confirm Brainiac for Man of Tomorrow, there are still many lingering questions.
Who is “The Man of Tomorrow”?
Both David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult are confirmed to return as Superman and Lex Luthor, respectively. When announcing the release date for Man of Tomorrow, Gunn shared an illustration by artist Jim Lee showing Superman looking chummy Lex in his green Warsuit.
“It’s a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat,” Gunn recently told Howard Stern (via EW).
Man of Tomorrow. In theatres July 9, 2027. pic.twitter.com/hegJEuRMTk
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) September 3, 2025
Gunn isn’t hiding his admiration for Lex Luthor, which has led some to wonder if Lex is the titular Man of Tomorrow. In an interview with the Ringer-Verse podcast, after describing Luthor as “pretty evil,” Gunn said: “I think I’m just more interested in getting into the heart of Lex and seeing how he fits into all of this.” He later added, “There’s something, despite everything, that is incredibly heroic about Lex,” finally concluding, “I can’t help but admire his tenacity and his sort of ego. I mean, his ambition is beyond compare.”
Lex Luthor in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
However, given Luthor’s cold-blooded actions in Superman (which Gunn actually considered making even darker), some may find any hint of redemption in Man of Tomorrow—much less a partnership between him and Superman—distasteful. Even against a threat like Brainiac.
Fan Reaction to Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow
So far, reaction online has skipped debate over whether or not Brainiac is the right choice for Man of Tomorrow, and gone straight to casting ideas. Gunn movie alums like Lee Pace and Dave Bautista are being suggested, since Gunn has a history of working with the same actors over and over again.
However, Michael C. Hall (still riding high on the Dexter revival) and Giancarlo Esposito are also getting strong support.
Giancarlo Esposito as Brainiac PLEASE!!! pic.twitter.com/azUja9NVFm
— Noah Popejoy – Legend of Zelda Movie HYPE!!! (@PopejoyWriter) September 22, 2025
Since at least one Brainiac scene has presumably already been filmed, it’s possible the character has already been cast for Man of Tomorrow and Gunn is simply keeping it quiet for now. In any case, anticipation is rising for the next chapter in the Superman Saga.
What do you think? Is Brainiac a good pick for Man of Tomorrow? And who would you cast? Let us know in the comments!
Has anyone read the two issue story by alan moore in the mid-80’s, that immediately pre-sages Supe’s reimagining by John Byrne? It’s called “Whatever happened to the man of tomorrow”. It’s all about Braniac and Lex. It’s one of the cruelest stories I’ve ever read. Does no one know of this? It seems as though every one is completely surprised by it.
I’m not interested in anything Gunn does anymore. If his future movies are going to be like his Superman, than his DCU is going to go down the drain even quicker than Snyder’s.