With the hype surrounding the next installment of the DC Universe still growing, James Gunn has once again taken on the myth-buster. As ‘Man of Tomorrow’ gradually enters its 2026 production window, internet speculation has gone into overdrive, especially regarding the possibility of Brainiac becoming the main antagonist of the film and his casting.
Now Gunn is making one thing clear: the rumor mill is running way ahead of reality. The DC Studios co-CEO and filmmaker just responded to a wave of casting speculation on Threads. He directly suggested that Dave Bautista was being eyed, or had already been discussed for a DCU role.
James Gunn Pushes Back On DCU Rumors While Teasing A Bigger Threat In ‘Man Of Tomorrow’
In two posts that soon went viral on social media, Gunn debunked the Brainiac casting rumors article by bit. He started by reminding the fans of an important fact that is easily lost in the speculation. He has never officially stated that Brainiac is even in the film. “Let’s forget a moment. I’ve never said Brainiac was in the movie. I freaking love @davebautista & I have many ideas for who he could play in the DCU. But he & I have never discussed a role in Man of Tomorrow, nor have we discussed it amongst ourselves at DC”, he wrote on Threads.
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Although he spoke highly of Bautista as a friend and a performer whom he greatly admires, Gunn pointed out that the two have never talked about ‘Man of Tomorrow’. He then confirmed that Bautista has never been internally discussed at DC Studios to play in the film. The denial was not the most striking thing, but the tone. Gunn did not attack fans or journalists or even ridicule the passion behind these theories. Rather, he was irritated by personal loyalty.
“In addition, truly, NONE of the names, from the six or seven I’ve seen rumored for a role, have auditioned or been discussed at all. In general, I’m just letting the silly rumors go,” he added. The notion that the name of a close friend was being dragged into unfounded speculation hit a nerve. This made Gunn debunk all six, seven rumored names, including Bautista, Matt Smith, etc.
It was a moment of clarity and highlights how easy it is to lose sight of what is informed reporting and what is wishful thinking in online discourse. Meanwhile, Gunn did not close the curiosity completely. He acknowledged that he was letting the foolish speculations pass. However, that does not imply that the door is shut on surprises in the future.
The Brainiac Question Continues To Hang Over ‘Man Of Tomorrow’
Although Gunn strongly refuted any discussions of casting, he did not go as far as to reject Brainiac as a part of ‘Man of Tomorrow’. And that difference counts. A lot of the speculation is due to Gunn’s words and actions, which he has carefully selected during the last year. He posted the title page of the ‘Man of Tomorrow’ script to social media in September 2025, a move he later acknowledged was calculated.
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The implications were instantly picked up on by the fans. This was especially because Brainiac has such a strong connection to the Superman mythology. So, the thematic potential of the film is to have a much, much larger threat than Lex Luthor alone. Gunn himself, when questioned about the response, admitted freely that he was fully aware of what he was up to. He knew that the post would be controversial. So, he capitalized on that uncertainty instead of making it clear.
It is a common strategy of a film director who knows the psychology of marketing and the culture of fans. There are cases when silence (or partial silence) is more effective than confirmation. To make the fire worse, Gunn describes the narrative of the film himself. ‘Man of Tomorrow’ is not being positioned as a mere hero-villain battle. Rather, it is characterized as a complicated narrative where Superman and Lex Luthor are compelled to enter into a tense partnership against a common existential danger.
That mere fact is enough to give birth to a lot of speculations. There are not many characters in Superman mythology that are big enough to force such a collaboration, and Brainiac is the first to come to mind. As filming edges closer and casting announcements inevitably arrive, the mystery will begin to unravel. Until then, Gunn appears content to let fans theorize, debate, and occasionally run wild, as long as those theories don’t cross into misinformation involving real people.
