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James Gunn reminds everyone he's "never said" that Brainiac is in the Superman sequel, but promises a new villain will appear in Man of Tomorrow

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By Bradley Russell published 15 December 2025

Gunn shoots down another casting rumor

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Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor in Superman
(Image credit: DC Studios)
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James Gunn is back in full debunking mode, this time with all the whispers and rumors surrounding Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow and its apparent villain, Brainiac.

Replying to a report that suggested Guardians of the Galaxy actor Dave Bautista was being lined up to play Brainiac, Gunn wrote on Threads, "Let's forget a moment I've never said Brainiac was in the movie. I freaking love [Dave Bautista] & 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. 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."

Gunn later confirmed to a fan in the affirmative when he asked that we will get a villain that "isn't Luthor or Zod" in Man of Tomorrow, which is dated for July 9, 2027.

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Most of the intense speculation surrounding the arrival of Brainiac in the DCU stemmed from a post by Gunn that showed the first page of the Man of Tomorrow script's first draft, complete with an anatomical illustration of a decidedly non-human head.

Both Superman actor David Corenswet and Lex Luthor actor Nicholas Hoult have been confirmed for the sequel. Before then, however, the DCU is bringing Supergirl to the big screen next June, with the Lanterns HBO series also debuting in 2026.

Lanterns has only received an 11-second trailer, though Supergirl's trailer was accompanied by a Gunn-led Q&A event, where we discovered Superman would appear in Supergirl, as well as star Milly Alcock's passion for more flawed female superheroes flying into the comic book movie arena.

For more, check out our guide to DCU Chapter One and upcoming DC movies. Need to catch up? Here's our guide on how to watch the DC movies in order.

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Bradley Russell
Bradley Russell
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Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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