James Gunn has never been afraid to talk directly to his fans, yet his recent remarks about Brainiac’s casting in ‘Man of Tomorrow’ seem particularly honest. Instead of letting the speculation get out of control, the DC Studios co-CEO intervened to explain how the iconic villain was selected. He debunked rumors and revealed what comic book DNA will share with the long-awaited big-screen appearance of Brainiac.
Following the box office success of ‘Superman’, Gunn was quick to assure fans that a sequel was already underway. However, the news that really sent the fandom into a frenzy was the news that Lars Eidinger was going to play Brainiac, a villain that fans have longed to see done justice in live action. Gunn opted to be open instead of celebrating the casting in silence. And in typical Gunn fashion, he did so with blunt honesty and a touch of irritation.
James Gunn’s Transparency On Brainiac Highlights A Shift In How DC Builds Its Universe
Before Eidinger’s name was officially revealed, Brainiac casting rumors had reached a fever pitch. Both fans and insiders swam through a revolving door of insider picks. This included Matt Smith, Giancarlo Esposito, and a regular collaborator of Gunn, Chukwudi Iwuji. These decisions were logical on the surface, with familiar faces, genre authority, and villainous seriousness. However, as Gunn says, none of that speculation was founded on reality.
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When Gunn announced Eidinger on Threads, he stressed that the casting was a worldwide and calculated process. “In our worldwide search for Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, Lars Eidinger rose to the top,” he wrote. Gunn did not mince words when a fan thanked him because he did not pick any of the rumored names. He closed the whole story. “None of them even screen tested,” Gunn explained. “I’m not even sure any of them auditioned. Total made-up stuff.”
That frustration only deepened when rumors involved people Gunn personally knows. In a follow-up, he explained that not all the actors mentioned in the reports were ever discussed internally at DC Studios. Although Gunn admitted that internet speculation is unavoidable, he confessed that it is particularly annoying when it pulls friends into imaginary stories. But in addition to disproving rumors, Gunn also provided fans with something much more thrilling: an idea of what type of Brainiac they are receiving.
When questioned about comic influences, Gunn clarified that it will not be a single definitive version. Rather, this Brainiac is a synthesis, from Otto Binder’s early interpretations, Marv Wolfman’s darker and more unsettling takes, beloved animated versions, and the “truly creepy and wonderful” Absolute Brainiac from modern comics. That remark in itself is eloquent. Gunn is not pursuing nostalgia or attempting to create shock value. He is creating a villain good enough to make Superman and Lex Luthor enter into an uncomfortable alliance.
James Gunn On Why Brainiac Was The First To Be Announced
The one question that remained after the casting announcement was, why did Brainiac get announced so soon, when other big DC projects, such as ‘The Batman – Part II’, are still frustratingly silent? Gunn also dealt with this directly. In a post that has since been deleted on Threads, Gunn clarified that he and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran announced Eidinger early in large part to beat the leaks. Secrecy is delicate in the modern industry, and when making casting choices, it may be easily ruined.
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But Gunn also drew a clear line between ‘Man of Tomorrow’ and ‘The Batman – Part II’. Although they both belong to the DC banner, their production realities could not be more different. ‘The Batman Part II’, due on October 1, 2027, is an Elseworlds project, i.e., not part of the shared DCU continuity. Gunn and Safran are not architects working on the sequel; they are producers. Gunn pointed out that it’s rare for any studio, DC included, to make major casting announcements before a film begins production.
This is why the news about Scarlett Johansson becoming a part of the cast, although interesting, is not confirmed. The comparison has been quite frustrating to fans. ‘The Batman‘ was released in March 2022, and the news about the sequel has been slow. The imbalance is even more acute with the casting of Brainiac locked in and Gotham still a mystery. But the explanation given by Gunn confirms one of the most important facts about the new DC regime: clarity where possible, silence where necessary.
