The DC Universe (DCU) has a new antagonist. After months of speculation, it’s now confirmed that Brainiac will be the villain in Man of Tomorrow.
Superman and Lex Luthor will team up against uber villain #Brainiac in James Gunn’s DCU movie #ManofTomorrow, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
Since the announcement of “Man of Tomorrow,” fans have suspected that Brainiac would be the film’s eventual foe. Senior film reporter… pic.twitter.com/FHPVKQ1oZr
— TheWrap (@TheWrap) November 13, 2025
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The Wrap confirmed the rumors on Thursday, but it comes as no real surprise. In September, Gary Buechler, AKA Nerdrotic, said on his YouTube channel, that sources had told him writer/director James Gunn had nearly put Brainiac in one of the Superman post-credits scenes.
“So maybe… they moved that to Supergirl,” Buechler speculated at the time.
Gunn had earlier told The Hollywood Reporter that he was working on the script for the next chapter in the “Superman Saga,” which he was not calling Superman 2. When he posted on X in late September that he had finished the script, the cover page in the photo featured an image of the human brain.
😈🤝😇 #MoT 7.9.27 pic.twitter.com/aIKSFpaHff
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) September 22, 2025
Taken together, many felt that could only mean one thing: Brainiac vs Superman in Man of Tomorrow.
Hints of a Bigger Threat
DCU fans also noticed in Gunn’s post a devil and an angel emojis with a handshake in between. This lines up with other statements from Gunn that Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor and David Corenswet’s Superman will be teaming up in Man of Tomorrow.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Gunn told Howard Stern, “It’s a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat.”
Superman and Lex Luthor in a Jim Lee-Created teaser image for the Superman Sequel Man of Tomorrow – X, @JamesGunn
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With Hoult confirmed to return for Man of Tomorrow after appearing as Luthor in the HBO Max series Peacemaker, fans speculated as to what sort of threat would motivate the supervillain to team up with Superman, his greatest foe.
The Wrap asked Gunn, who said, “A pretty pronounced one.”
Brainiac, a super-intelligent android from the planet Colu with no regard for organic life, qualifies as “a pretty pronounced” threat. Plus, his cosmic origin lends itself to an introduction in Supergirl. According to Variety, the movie has Supergirl traveling “across the galaxy,” where she could conceivably encounter Brainiac.
Brainiac with Bottle Cities – YouTube, Variant Comics
However, it was all rumor and speculation until this recent confirmation. Sources recently told Nexus Point News “that makeup and prosthetics will be used for the film’s antagonist. In addition, actors with a strong build and stature are being looked at for the role.”
That left open the possibility of Mongul, another DC villain who would require a large actor in makeup and prosthetics.
Production for Man of Tomorrow is set to begin in Atlanta this April, with an official release date of July 9, 2027. No casting for Brainiac has been confirmed, which gives fans plenty of time to express their opinions on who should play the iconic villain, and how they feel about the direction of Gunn’s universe.
Fan Reaction
The online debate as to who should or might be cast as Brainiac is running wild. Everyone from Hugh Laurie to David Hyde Pierce to Alan Ritchson is getting the fancast treatment.
A classic Superman vs Brainiac Action Comics Cover – YouTube, Variant Comics
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But regardless of who the villain is and what actor is tasked with playing him, the question remains: is there an audience for another James Gunn Superman movie? After a mediocre theatrical run and a struggle on streaming, the first Superman movie failed to inspire much confidence in the evolving DCU.
On Film Threat, host Chris Gore reacted to Brainiac being confirmed for Man of Tomorrow, saying, “So, I mean, so am I excited? I’m excited to see Brainiac, but not — I feel sad saying this — I’m not excited to see what’s next in this universe, especially after Peacemaker season 2.”
Superman in the trailer for James Gunn’s Superman – YouTube, DC
As Gunn attempts to raise the stakes of the “Superman Saga,” only time will tell if going big is enough to win a big audience.
Does Brainiac coming to the DCU in Man of Tomorrow interest you? Sound off in the comments!
Let the woke, man-shaming Superman movies fail.
I can’t wait for Superman to get his ass kicked all over the place by Brainiac and bottled up so Lois can come save the day, again.
That’s what I look for in a Superman movie… a smoke screen to make Lois Lane the real superhero.