James Gunn is officially bringing one of Superman’s most dangerous enemies into the DCU, and it’s an interesting casting choice. German actor Lars Eidinger has been tapped to play Brainiac in Man Of Tomorrow, setting the stage for a big threat in the franchise.
Gunn confirmed the news himself with an Instagram post. He wrote, “In our worldwide search for Brainiac in ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ Lars Eidinger rose to the top. Welcome to the DCU, Lars.”
I’m not really familiar with Eidinger or his work, but he most recently appeared in Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, and his other recent film work includes Dead Language, The Light, and Dying, the latter earning a best film nomination at the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival.
He’s known for intense, cerebral performances, so that seems to make him a natural fit for a villain who wins battles with his mind as much as raw power.
Brainiac isn’t just another villain with big plans and a loud personality. The character is a hyperintelligent alien android driven by a tyrannical obsession with total knowledge of the universe. He’s infamous for shrinking entire planets and storing them in glass containers, or wiping them out completely if they don’t meet his standards.
Created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino back in 1958, Brainiac has haunted DC Comics for decades, but Man of Tomorrow will mark the character’s first appearance in a major DC motion picture.
The film will also bring back David Corenswet as Superman and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, continuing the dynamic established in Gunn’s first DC Studios outing. This time they will be teaming up to take on Brainiac.
Man of Tomorrow builds on the momentum Gunn has already established with Superman, which marked his directorial debut as DC Studios co-head alongside Peter Safran .
With Brainiac entering the DC cinematic spotlight and a powerhouse actor stepping into the role, Man Of Tomorrow is sure to be a high-stakes evolution for the DCU. The movie is set for release on July 9, 2027.
