Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Man of Tomorrow

  • Aaron Pierre Officially Joins ‘Man of Tomorrow’

    Aaron Pierre Officially Joins ‘Man of Tomorrow’

    The “Lanterns” news cycle just shifted from small-screen detective work to full-blown cinematic event. While Aaron Pierre‘s John Stewart  has been rumored to be headed to the big screen, Jeff “The In” Sneider has confirmed that Pierre will officially reprise his role in James Gunn’s Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow.

    Reportedly, Pierre‘s role isn’t just a cameo; it’s the connective tissue the DCU has been promising since Chapter One: Gods and Monsters was first announced.

    Stewart’s inclusion makes enormous sense from a tactical standpoint. If Lars Eidinger’s Brainiac is the threat we think he is—a world-collector forcing an alliance between Superman and Lex—having an intergalactic lawman like John Stewart on the ground is a necessity, not a luxury. Stewart is a marine; he’s a man of order and protocol. Watching him navigate the ego of Nicholas Hoult’s Warsuit-clad Lex Luthor while trying to save Metropolis may well be a highlight of the sequel.

    By putting Pierre in Man of Tomorrow, Gunn is giving the general audience a reason to tune into the Lanterns series on HBO. It establishes Stewart as a major Justice League-caliber player before the team even officially exists.

    Man of Tomorrow is set for a July 9, 2027 release.

    Source: The Insneider

  • ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Reportedly Set to Feature Second Formidable Villain

    ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Reportedly Set to Feature Second Formidable Villain

    In November, insider Daniel Richtman reported that DC Studios had begun searching for an actress in her 20s for a major role in Man of Tomorrow. Following the initial report, Nexus Point News followed up with additional information that had fans theorizing that the character was Wonder Woman.

    As is often the case, DC Studios co-chair and Man of Tomorrow writer/director James Gunn took to social media to shoot down the growing buzz about Wonder Woman making her DCU debut in the Superman sequel. And now, a new report claims to reveal the true identity of the character.

    According to Nexus Point News, the mysterious character will be the alien warrior-queen Maxima.

    A member of the Royal Family of the planet Almerac, Maxima’s primary motivation is the survival and evolution of her bloodline. Considered the ultimate genetic prize of her species because of the unique structure of her DNA, she spent years traveling the cosmos in search of a “suitable” mate—someone whose power could match her own and produce an heir capable of ruling Almerac. And that quest led her to Earth where Kal-El’s Kryptonian heritage caught her attention.

    A composite powerhouse with a wide array of super powers, Maxima first appeared in an antagonistic role before transitioning into an ally of Superman and, eventually, a member of the Justice League. Her appearance in the film might indicate Gunn has adapted the 1992 Superman crossover event, “Panic in the Sky,” that featured Maxima teaming up with Brainiac.

    In an effort to destroy Earth, Brainiac used his telepathic abilities to enslave several cosmic heavy hitters into his army, including Maxima. Once she eventually broke free of his control, Maxima turned on Brainiac, lobotomizing him, and turned the tide of the battle in favor of Earth’s heroes.

    While it’s unlikely Gunn would directly adapt the event, it certainly does sound like the type of story he could draw from in an effort to bring Lex Luthor and Superman together in Man of Tomorrow.

  • James Gunn Explains His Wide-Ranging Inspiration for the DCU’s Brainiac

    James Gunn Explains His Wide-Ranging Inspiration for the DCU’s Brainiac

    After months of speculation about who the villain of Man of Tomorrow would be, director James Gunn confirmed the widespread belief that classic Superman supervillain Brainiac was indeed set to antagonize Kal-El and Lex Luthor.

    Gunn also revealed that German actor Lars Eldinger had landed the role after a “worldwide search” for the right talent to bring the Coluan Collector of Worlds to life, explaining only that his audition separated him from the pack and convinced DC Studios that he was the right man for the job. Following the news, Gunn took to social media to explain what inspiration drove the creation of the DCU’s version of Brainiac.

    I love aspects of many versions of the characters, from the 1950’s Binder stuff to the surprisingly scary Wolfman stuff to the animated versions and up through the truly creepy and wonderful, current Absolute Brainiac.

    -James Gunn

    Otto Binder‘s original version of Brainiac debuted in 1958’s Action Comics #242 and established the core elements of the character that remain iconic today, including his “12th-level intellect.” Co-created with artist Al Plastino, this version was a product of the Silver Age of comics–which inspired Gunn‘s decisions on Superman–characterized by high-concept science fiction and “B-movie” alien aesthetics.

    Binder‘s most significant contribution to the Superman mythos via Brainiac was the introduction of Kandor, the capital city of Krypton. While infiltrating Brainiac’s ship to save Metropolis, Superman discovered a bottle containing Kandor, revealing that Brainiac had visited Krypton before its destruction, creating a deep personal link between the villain and Superman’s lost heritage.

    Marv Wolfman’s version of Brainiac– introduced in 1983 for the 45th anniversary of Action Comics (#544)–is widely considered the most terrifying and radical redesign of the character in the Pre-Crisis era. Wolfman transformed the character into a cold, cosmic horror: a living machine driven by pure logic and a nihilistic need to destroy.

    For Superman: The Animated Series, Brainiac was reimagined as Krypton’s planetary AI/supercomputer. After betraying Jor-El, Brainiac downloaded his consciousness into a satellite and spent decades travelling the galaxy gathering knowledge from the computers of other civilizations before destroying them. This iconic version of the character–complete with the “three dot” symbol–returned for Justice League and Justice League Unlimited and is likely the iteration of the character with whom the core audience of Man of Tomorrow would find recognizable.

    In DC’s recent Absolute Universe, writer Jason Aaron has reimagined the Coluan as a sadist, williing to torture and experiment on his enemies–or even his own clones. The recent version also looks to employ psychological tactics that are more calculated cruelty than logic, removing him from his roots by an exponential margin.

  • James Gunn Confirms ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Villain, Announces German Actor Landed the Role

    James Gunn Confirms ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Villain, Announces German Actor Landed the Role

    After a month of rumors in which Claes Bang, Matt Smith and Dave Bautista were all alleged front runners for the role of Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, DC Studios’ co-chair James Gunn–who recently took to social media to shoot down those rumors–announced the actor who will bring the antagonist to the screen.

    In our worldwide search for Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, Lars Eidinger rose to the top. Welcome to the DCU, Lars.

    -James Gunn

    Man of Tomorrow is “a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat.“ After months of playing coy, Gunn has finally confirmed that Brainiac will be that threat.

    In the comics, Brainiac’s primary motivation is generally a cold, unquenchable thirst for absolute knowledge and self-improvement—which involves collecting and destroying civilizations; however, modern writers have created a more sadistic version of the character, will to torture and experiment on his enemies–or even his own clones in the Absolute Universe–and employ psychological tactics that are more calculated cruelty than logic.

    Gunn previously revealed that the villain “was considered” for Superman and with Supergirl hitting theaters in 2026, it wouldn’t take much to give some background to Brainiac’s fascination with Kryptonions and reveal that he visited Krypton before it was destroyed and shrunk and stole the capital city of Kandor.

  • James Gunn Shoots Down Major ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Casting Report

    James Gunn Shoots Down Major ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Casting Report

    For some time now, James Gunn‘s social media presence can be interpreted as a barometer for the DC Studios’ rumor mill. Gunn’s responses to rumors and reports often create a clearer picture of what fans can expect from upcoming projects and, interestingly enough, what he doesn’t respond to is equally interesting.

    For example, when recent reports seemed to indicate that Wonder Woman might make her all-new, all-different DCU debut in Gunn‘s next film, Man of Tomorrow, the DC Studios’ co-chair remained tight-lipped, even as the buzz intensified. Does that mean Diana will join the battle against Brainiac in the Superman sequel? Or is Brainiac even in the film?

    While Gunn has yet to confirm that the Coluan Collector of Worlds will indeed be the villain of Man of Tomorrow, recent trade reports have indicated that Brainiac will be the catalyst behind Kal-El’s team up with Lex Luthor. Following those reports, rumblings about casting for the role have begun to pop up, with Claes Bang and Matt Smith reportedly among those up for the role. More recently, Guardians of the Galaxy star Dave Bautista was mentioned as a favorite to ultimately portray Brainiac but it seems as though that’s not going to be the case.

    Shortly after Bautista’s name was thrown out by Jeff Sneider as a to contender for the sadistic supervillain, Gunn took to Threads to shoot down the report.

    Oh boy. Let’s forget a moment, I’ve never said Brainiac was in the movie. I freaking love [Dave Bautista] [and] I have many ideas for who he could play in the DCU. But he [and] I have never discussed a role in Man of Tomorrow, nor have we discussed it amongst ourselves at DC.

    -James Gunn

    Gunn‘s statement left little room for interpretation, directly addressing the actor and the role. Bautista may not have been the best fit for the role anyway but Gunn went on to explain that none of the “6-7” other names associated for the role have been screentested or offered a part in Man of Tomorrow.

  • Talented Trio Tops Reported Shortlist to Tackle Techno-Organic Terror in ‘Man of Tomorrow’

    Talented Trio Tops Reported Shortlist to Tackle Techno-Organic Terror in ‘Man of Tomorrow’

    After months of speculation and teasing, confirmation finally came down the pipe that the sadistic supervillain Brainiac would indeed make his theatrical debut in the Superman not-really-but-also-kind-of-sequel Man of Tomorrow.

    The Coluan Collector of Worlds will serve as the “bigger threat” that catalyzes the team up between David Corenswet‘s Kal-El and Nicholas Hoult‘s Lex Luthor, which director James Gunn has described as a “complicated” scenario.

    With principal photography on Man of Tomorrow set to get underway in April, casting for the film has begun, including the search for an actress to play a character believed to be Wonder Woman and an actor willing to disappear behind prosthetics to bring Brainiac to life. In mid-November, Dracula star Claes Bang reportedly read for the role and now, a follow-up report claims that a pair of actors have joined Bang on the shortlist to land the role of Brainiac.

    According to Nexus Point News, Doctor Who star Matt Smith and Academy Award-Winning actor Sam Rockwell have joined Bang on the shortlist to play the supervillain.

    The report makes it clear that no offers have been made at this point and that ultimately, a cash-conscious approach by parent studio Warner Bros. may constrain Gunn‘s casting reach.

    Man of Tomorrow will hit theaters on July 9, 2027.

    Source: NPN

  • James Gunn Shuts Down Major DC Studios Casting Rumor

    James Gunn Shuts Down Major DC Studios Casting Rumor

    James Gunn loves social media. Whether teasing his next projects or shooting nearly every false rumor to hell, the DC Studios’ co-chair’s impressive omnipresence feels reminiscent of one who observed the universe from a Mobius Chair. And something new has caught his eye.

    A recent casting call for a new, male actor in Gunn’s next theatrical project, Man of Tomorrow, somehow quickly evolved into rumors that Steve Trevor was set to join the cast of characters of the Superman sequel.

    Despite the complete lack of evidence AND cautionary rhetoric from some established rumor mongers and proven sources, the Trevor buzz took hold and, eventually, came to the attention of Gunn, who quickly took control of the situation with a single “nope.”

    With Trevor off the board, all fans can do is hope that somewhere in the depths of DC Comics’ vast stable of characters, Gunn has located one who can be a male. Though the odds may seem stacked against him, don’t count Gunn out just yet!

  • Additional ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Casting Info Intensifies Wonder Woman Buzz

    Additional ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Casting Info Intensifies Wonder Woman Buzz

    On the heels of a report that DC Studios was searching for a character believed to be Wonder Woman for a key role in Man of Tomorrow, a second report has surfaced containing additional details about the role.

    Following the initial report by insider Daniel Richtman, Nexus Point News has come through with some new information that certainly makes the new character sound like Wonder Woman. Take a quick look at a breakdown of the key points:

    • Late 20s
    • Has “an edge to her”
    • Height requirement/taller actresses
    • Strong physique
    • Character is a warrior

    As NPN pointed out, though the description does lend itself to Diana, there are indeed other tall, female warriors that could be pulled from the deep DC Comics roster. However, with a Wonder Woman film on the way, having the character appear in Man of Tomorrow does seems relatively sensible.

    Source: Nexus Point News

  • New Casting Information for ‘Man of Tomorrow’ May Point to Another of DC’s Trinity Joining the Battle Against Brainiac

    New Casting Information for ‘Man of Tomorrow’ May Point to Another of DC’s Trinity Joining the Battle Against Brainiac

    After months of speculation that the sadistic supervillain Brainiac would finally make his big screen debut in DC Studios Man of Tomorrow, a trade report confirmed the Coluan Collector of Worlds would indeed serve as the catalyst bringing Superman and Lex Luthor together. With Hawkgirl confirmed to return and other heroes such as Supergirl and John Stewart also believed to be joining the fray, plenty of Superfriends will be on hand to assist in the battle against Brainiac. However, new casting information has fans believing another hero might be set to appear as well and if speculation is correct, it’s one of DC’s heaviest hitters.

    …a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat.

    -James Gunn on Man of Tomorrow
    Following a report from insider Daniel Richtman that DC Studios is searching for an actress in her 20s for a major role in Man of Tomorrow, speculation is growing that Wonder Woman will make her DCU debut in the film.

    It’s important to note that Richtman’s report doesn’t provide anywhere near enough information to determine that the female character will be Wonder Woman. However, with DC Studios co-chair James Gunn recently saying that the character was crucial to the success of the fledgling shared universe and that a script for a new Wonder Woman project by Ana Nogueria was in the works, it’s not the worst guess.

    With principal photography on Man of Tomorrow set to kick off in April, casting is certainly underway, so if the character is indeed Wonder Woman, expect trades to get on the case soon and try to figure out what actresses are in the mix for the role.

  • New Report Confirms Sadistic ‘Superman’ Sequel Supervillain; Rumored Front-runner Emerges

    New Report Confirms Sadistic ‘Superman’ Sequel Supervillain; Rumored Front-runner Emerges

    Following the successful launch of Superman, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav teased “an ambitious, 10-year plan of interconnected sequels and spinoffs,” which included the “next movie in the Super-Family,” set to be directed by James Gunn. Gunn then spent the next few weeks teasing the next installment in his Superman Saga which was ultimately revealed to be a Superman and Lex Luthor team-up film titled Man of Tomorrow.

    In between Zaslav’s tease and the announcement of Man of Tomorrow, fans discovered an unused storyboard from Superman in the behind-the-scenes featurette, Adventures in the  Making of Superman,which they believed revealed the villain of the 2027 Superman sequel. The storyboard features Superman, Supergirl and Krypto flying but a closer look at the bottom corner reveals the head of one of the House of El’s greatest enemies: Brainiac. Gunn further teased the classic Superman villain by releasing a photo of the script for Man of Tomorrow with a brain front and center on the cover page, but stopped short of confirming his inclusion. Now, a trade report seems to have taken care of that.

    According to The Wrap, Brainiac will indeed be the catalyst that causes Superman and Lex Luthor, complete in his Warsuit, to join forces in Man of Tomorrow.

    Gunn previously revealed that the villain “was considered” for Superman and with Supergirl hitting theaters in 2026, it wouldn’t take much to give some background to Brainiac’s fascination with Kryptonions and reveal that he visited Krypton before it was destroyed and shrunk and stole the capital city of Kandor.

    In the comics, Brainiac’s primary motivation is generally a cold, unquenchable thirst for absolute knowledge and self-improvement—which involves collecting and destroying civilizations; however, modern writers have created a more sadistic version of the character, will to torture and experiment on his enemies–or even his own clones in the Absolute Universe–and employ psychological tactics that are more calculated cruelty than logic.

    Following the news, social media scoopers collaborated to indicate that Claes Bang, who played the title role in Netflix’s Dracula, has already rested for the role. However, tests are ongoing and given Gunn’s previous work with DC Studios, will involve multiple rounds of testing, including reading with leads David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult.

    Source: The Wrap