James Gunn is taking big swings with his new DCU. The director today confirmed that German actor Lars Eidinger has been cast as Brainiac in “Superman: Man of Tomorrow”, marking the first live-action big-screen appearance of one of Superman’s most iconic villains. This is a serious statement of intent from DC Studios; and frankly, it is long overdue.

Superman’s Greatest Villains (That Aren’t Lex Luthor)

Brainiac Joins the DCU

Brainiac

Eidinger will portray Brainiac opposite David Corenswet’s Superman and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor. The film reportedly sees the Man of Steel and Luthor forced into an uneasy alliance against the cosmic level threat. Brainiac immediately raises the stakes beyond anything DC has attempted theatrically to date.

Otto Binder and Al Plastino created Brainiac, introducing the villain in Action Comics #242. In the comics, Brainiac operates as an android from the planet Colu, relentlessly hoarding knowledge at any cost. He is infamous for shrinking cities, destroying worlds, and in several storylines playing a direct role in the destruction of Krypton itself. This is not a villain you casually introduce; it signals ambition for something bigger, Justice League perhaps?

Eidenger’s Acting Careeer Makes Him Perfect For Brainiac

Eidinger is an inspired choice. The actor has steadily built a reputation in European cinema and high profile international projects, including Clouds of Sils Maria, Personal Shopper, and Noah Baumbach’s White Noise. More recently, that body of work earned him a European Actor nomination at last year’s European Film Awards for Dying.

Gunn himself confirmed the casting on Instagram, writing, “In our worldwide search for Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, Lars Eidinger rose to the top. Welcome to the DCU, Lars.” That kind of language makes it clear this was not a quick decision; it was a global search for a very specific presence.

 
 
 
 
 
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What This Means for Man of Tomorrow

Superman: Man of Tomorrow is eyeing an April production start, with a theatrical release set for July 9, 2027. The previous Superman film under Gunn’s new DC Studios banner grossed over $616 million worldwide, giving the studio confidence to think bigger and weirder; and Brainiac fits that mandate perfectly.

This casting suggests Gunn is not interested in playing it safe. Introducing Brainiac this early tells audiences that the DCU is aiming cosmic, philosophical, and dangerous right out of the gate.

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