Official: Brainiac as the villain in Superman: Man of Tomorrow

After much speculation, it's now official: Brainiac will be the new villain in the sequel "Superman: Man of Tomorrow"!

According to The Wrap, Superman and his arch-enemy Lex Luthor will fight side by side to bring the overpowering villain to his knees. James Gunn has also repeatedly hinted at this alliance – most recently through the cover of the script.

For many fans, Brainiac's appearance is long overdue. The villain created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino has been one of Superman's most iconic enemies since his debut in 1958, but has been left out of the live-action films. Nevertheless, Brainiac is present in numerous DC productions, such as "Superman: The Animated Series" and "Smallville".

Brainiac is an artificial being – usually depicted as a cyborg or android – who comes from the alien planet Colu. He possesses a superior intellect and is obsessed with acquiring all the knowledge in the universe. One of his most notorious deeds is to miniaturize entire cities and preserve them as miniature versions in his spaceship.

But that's not all: in an interview with industry magazine The Hollywood Reporter, Frank Grillo revealed that he will return in his role of Rick Flag Sr. for part 2. He is even set to play a much larger role. "Superman: Man of Tomorrow" opens in cinemas on July 9, 2027.

Superman: Man of Tomorrow: Two rivals against Brainiac!

Imagine this: Superman, the greatest comic book icon of all time, teams up with his greatest nemesis to defeat an even greater threat! Apparently, that's exactly what we can expect in "Man of Tomorrow"! James Gunn could be taking the DCU in a completely new direction – after all, he has already hinted at something like this in interviews.

The return of Lex Luthor

The initial situation after Part 1: Superman was able to defeat villain Lex Luthor in the first film. But anyone who knows Luthor knows that a defeat like that doesn't make him any smaller, but even more dangerous. While he is now behind bars, he is presumably already working on his next move – and this could escalate in the next film.

James Gunn announced the title "Man of Tomorrow" on social media and published a picture that immediately caused a stir: Superman side by side with Lex Luthor – and Luthor in gigantic armor. Comic fans immediately recognized the famous warsuit: an exo-skeleton that gives him superpowers, energy beams and protective shields. Just the idea of seeing this iconic suit on the big screen is a fan's dream come true.

The Warsuit comes from the comics of the 80s. It is a symbol of Luthor's greatest weakness: his envy. He knows that he can never beat Superman with mere intelligence or political influence. So he builds himself a suit of armor that puts him physically on an equal footing. Will the two fight each other? Or will an even bigger villain force them to stand side by side?

Brainiac – the new Thanos

Brainiac is one of Superman's most fascinating opponents. In the comics, he has been reinterpreted time and again: sometimes as a highly intelligent alien, sometimes as a cold computer consciousness, sometimes as disembodied energy that takes over other beings. But his trademark remains the same: he shrinks entire cities and collects them like trophies. This is particularly tragic for Superman because Brainiac has also stolen Kandor, the capital of Krypton.

In some stories, Brainiac's plan even goes so far as to shrink the entire Earth and add it to his collection. This makes him not only an opponent for Superman, but a threat to the entire Justice League. It is precisely this cosmic dimension that "Man of Tomorrow" could use to take the new DCU into galactic spheres for the first time.

So why is Brainiac so interesting for a movie? Because he challenges Superman both personally and cosmically. He's not just an enemy who comes with brute force, but an enemy who attacks with intelligence, strategy and an almost infinite technological superiority. Superman can't just beat him down – he has to outwit him. And that could be decisive for the story.

Supergirl and the expanded world

The role of Supergirl should also not be underestimated: she appeared briefly at the end of the first film. However, she is not just a supporting character, but will also play a major role. According to James Gunn, she is one of the four pillars of the DCU alongside Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman. Her own film "Supergirl" will be released in June 2026.

James Gunn's ensemble approach

One thing is clear: James Gunn loves ensemble films. Whether it's "Guardians of the Galaxy" or "The Suicide Squad" – he has shown time and again that he knows how to portray many characters at the same time. There was also a large number of characters to be seen in "Superman". What's more, Gunn has emphasized that "Man of Tomorrow" is not to be understood as a direct sequel; instead, the matter is somewhat "complicated". He has already hinted that it's not so much a movie about Superman, but a larger story involving multiple characters.

The DCU's new strategy

And that brings us to perhaps the most important point: the grand strategy behind "Man of Tomorrow". James Gunn and Peter Safran made it clear in their inaugural speech as the new heads of DC: Superman will be the centerpiece of the universe. It sounds as if all the films in the DCU are to form a harmonious whole – unlike the old DCEU. This is why the so-called "DC Elseworlds" were proclaimed, which include the "Joker" films and "The Batman". Everything that doesn't fit in with the rest of the DCU belongs there.

But what surprises us: When it comes to the movie "Clayface", Gunn strikes a slightly different tone. The Batman spin-off is explicitly not part of the Elseworlds, but is supposed to be a real horror film. Gunn justifies this by saying that every DCU movie should feel fresh and you should never be sure what to expect.

That doesn't sound very consistent to us: What does this mean for "Man of Tomorrow", which is not supposed to be a classic sequel to "Superman"? Can we expect an ensemble film of the "Avengers" brand that will explicitly introduce new characters to the DCU? Is James Gunn aiming for a different tone than in "Superman"?

It certainly remains exciting! "Man of Tomorrow" will be the touchstone for James Gunn's entire vision. If Superman works as the centerpiece, DC can finally take the clear direction that fans have been missing for years. Cinema release is July 9, 2027.