The identity of the actor playing Brainiac in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman movie, Man of Tomorrow, has been revealed.
Gunn announced on Instagram that German actor Lars Eidinger will be the iconic Superman villain in the character’s debut on the big screen. “Welcome to the DCU, Lars,” Gunn wrote. Eidinger has appeared in Netflix movies like Jay Kelly and White Noise, along with other major films like Personal Shopper and Clouds of Sils Maria.
In the comics, Brainiac is a genius-level android from the planet Colu who’s obsessed with acquiring more knowledge. With a history of shrinking and even destroying Superman’s home planet of Krypton (depending on who writes the character), Brainiac looks to be a major villain that’ll give Superman a hell of a challenge.
Man of Tomorrow, a sequel to Superman that dropped earlier this year, is set to hit theaters on July 9, 2027. Though details about the movie are scarce, early information about it suggests that Superman (played by David Corenswet) and Lex Luther (portrayed by Nicholas Hoult) will have to team up against Braniac.
Returning cast members besides Corenswet and Hoult include Rachel Brosnahan as Louis Lane, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Trevor Newlin as Mister Handsome.
Superman was a massive success at the box office, grossing $616.8 million worldwide and becoming the ninth-highest-grossing film of 2025.
