Official art released with the big Man of Tomorrow announcement has fans theorizing Brainiac might be the big villain of the movie.
James Gunn revealed the July 9, 2027 release date for the Superman sequel with Jim Lee art featuring David Corenswet as Superman and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. But interestingly, Corenswet and Hoult also posted different pieces — Jorge Jiménez and Mitch Gerads art — which fans think may tease more than one threat in the film.
The art seems to show Superman battling Lex in the Warsuit before teaming up with him against an even bigger foe. That has fueled speculation that Brainiac could finally be making his way to the big screen. Check out the art below.
Update: Nerdrotic says Brainiac was originally in the Superman post-credit scene.
Brainiac Was Considered
Recently, while talking with Josh Horowitz, James Gunn himself admitted that Brainiac was on the table as the villain for his first Superman movie.
Ultimately, Lex Luthor got the nod — but that doesn’t rule out Brainiac appearing down the line.
Fans point out that Gunn has said the DCU has a “big bad” tying things together, and Brainiac or Mongul have both been floated as possibilities.
Adding fuel to the fire, a featurette released earlier this year included a quick shot of Superman, Supergirl, and Krypto facing off against what appeared to be Brainiac’s head (pictured above).
Fan Theories
Across social media, fans are convinced Gunn is teasing something larger. On Reddit, one fan wrote earlier in the year, “Hope it isn’t Darkseid, Brainiac, Mongul maybe, damn I would kill to have Mongul.”
Others believe it’s a setup for Brainiac, with Lex Luthor’s Warsuit battle serving as a red herring before he and Superman unite against a bigger cosmic threat.
On Facebook, recently another fan suggested: “The next villain in the DCU for Superman should be either Brainiac or Mongul… with Toy-Man or Parasite a smaller side villain.”
This lines up with past rumors about Man of Steel 2, which would have seen Henry Cavill’s Superman and Supergirl teaming up to take down Brainiac.
With Supergirl still coming in 2026 and set in space, the stage is set for a major alien threat to tie into Man of Tomorrow.
The Bigger DCU Picture
Gunn has also said that he doesn’t want the DCU structured around a single mega-villain in the way Marvel used Thanos, but rather through strong individual stories that cross over when needed.
That could mean Brainiac isn’t the final boss of the DCU, but simply the first large-scale cosmic threat to challenge Superman and bring Lex temporarily onto his side.
The “enemy of my enemy is my friend” angle makes sense. If Brainiac invades Earth, Superman and Lex could be forced into an uneasy alliance.
What’s Next?
For now, fans will have to wait and see what Gunn has planned.
Peacemaker Season 2 is currently airing on HBO Max, and Gunn has described it as a direct sequel to Superman. The multiverse could be in play, but only two episodes are out, and the main villain has yet to be revealed.
With Supergirl hitting in 2026 and Man of Tomorrow following in 2027, Brainiac remains one of the leading theories for where the DCU is headed.
