Though James Gunn still hasn't made it official, The Wrap confirmed that Brainiac will make his big-screen debut in Man of Tomorrow last month, and we may now know which actors are on DC Studios' radar to play the powerful, super-smart cyborg.
According to Nexus Point News, Claes Bang, Matt Smith, and Sam Rockwell are on the shortlist to play Brainiac in Gunn's Superman follow-up.
The site has become a very reliable source of comic book movie and series news, but they do clarify that - as far as they know - no offers have been made, while also noting that "budget restrictions at DC Studios may prevent certain desirable names to be cast."
Bang (Dracula, The Northman) has previously been rumored, while Smith (Morbius, House of the Dragon) has been a popular fan-pick to play Brainiac for years. Rockwell (Iron Man 2, The White Lotus) would definitely be an outside the box choice for this character, but a lot of fans seem to have responded well to the idea on social media.
Many fans had assumed that Brainiac would be the movie's big bad, anyway, since Gunn appeared to hint at the character when he shared an image of a medical X-ray with an exposed brain on the first page of his script. Nexus Point News also shared the following details of a casting breakdown: "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."
"Listen, of course I wasn't unaware that when I posted the cover of the script that there was going to be discussion around that particular topic. But I think we'll hold off from what exactly is happening," Gunn said when asked about the page during a recent interview.
Brainiac has showed up in DC-based shows such as Smallville and Krypton, but Man of Tomorrow will mark his first feature appearance. It remains to be seen how the character will be introduced in the movie, but there's a good chance it will have something to do with the events of the Peacemaker season 2 finale.
What do you make of this rumored shortlist? Drop us a comment down below.
Man of Tomorrow will hit theaters on July 9, 2027. Production is expected to get underway next summer.
Man of Tomorrow will see the Man of Steel (David Corenswet) and Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) team-up to face Brainiac. Rachel Brosnahan will also return as Lois Lane, along with Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. (we've heard that other characters from Peacemaker season 2 will also feature).