It is now reported that Brainiac is the villain of Man of Tomorrow, confirming the long-running speculation about James Gunn’s next Superman film.
According to The Wrap, Superman and Lex Luthor team up against the classic DC villain, setting the tone for a bigger, more ambitious sequel.
The update lines up with the tease Gunn shared months ago when he posted the script cover featuring anatomical brain imagery. At the time, that hint sparked debate about Brainiac, with many pointing out the timing made sense following the events of Peacemaker Season 2 and the direction of the early DCU slate.
What The Wrap Says About Man of Tomorrow
The Wrap reports that Brainiac is the main antagonist, pushing Superman and Lex Luthor into an uneasy alliance to confront the threat. This follows the end of Superman, which teased Lex gaining a larger presence in the DCU. It also matches the earlier tease that the sequel features a bigger, more dangerous enemy than what Gunn introduced in the first film.
Filming is said to begin in Atlanta this spring, with the movie set for a 2027 release. Hoult returns as Lex Luthor alongside David Corenswet’s Superman, and the story brings them together for the first time against a shared threat.
Previous Tease Pointed Toward Brainiac
Back in September, we highlighted how Gunn’s script revealed hints at Brainiac. The brain-focused artwork sparked discussion that the villain was finally coming to the big screen after years of attempts by previous filmmakers. Gunn’s version appears to lean into the classic interpretation, positioning Brainiac as a large-scale threat capable of forcing Superman and Lex into cooperation.
Gunn also featured Brainiac in storyboards for Superman which he didn’t use and is now thought to be pushed to his sequel.
😈🤝😇 #MoT 7.9.27 pic.twitter.com/aIKSFpaHff
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) September 22, 2025
What This Means for The Centre Theory
We also previously covered speculation that The Centre could be the primary villain, based on thematic clues and connections to the DCU projects. The Centre tied directly into ideas raised in Peacemaker Season 2 and the possibility of larger, multiversal dangers across the slate.
With The Wrap now confirming Brainiac as the villain, that theory seems unlikely for Man of Tomorrow. However, it doesn’t completely eliminate The Centre from the DCU. The concept could still connect to future stories, but as of now, Brainiac is said to be the antagonist driving the sequel’s conflict.
Release info
Man of Tomorrow gets released on July 9, 2027. The confirmed cast includes David Corenswet as Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, and recently Frank Grillo confirmed his return as Rick Flag Jr.
Also returning, according to IMDb, includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Maria Gabriela de Faria as The Engineer, and Milly Alcock as Supergirl.
