German actor Lars Eidinger has been cast as the villain Brainiac in James Gunn's upcoming Superman film, Man of Tomorrow. The movie marks the first big-screen appearance of the iconic character, who will challenge David Corenswet's Superman and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor. Production is set to begin in April 2026 for a July 2027 release.
James Gunn, co-head of DC Studios, announced the casting of Lars Eidinger as Brainiac via Instagram, stating, “In our worldwide search for Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, Lars Eidinger rose to the top. Welcome to the DCU, Lars.” This follows the success of Gunn's 2025 film Superman, which starred David Corenswet as the Man of Steel and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, grossing over $616 million worldwide after its July 11 release.
Man of Tomorrow positions Superman and Luthor as unlikely allies against an intergalactic threat, with Brainiac emerging as that foe. Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, Brainiac debuted in Action Comics #242 in 1958 as a hyperintelligent android from the planet Colu. Known for his quest to collect all universal knowledge, the character shrinks cities and planets—sometimes destroying them outright—and has a comic history involving the destruction of Krypton in certain storylines. This will be Brainiac's first appearance in a major DC motion picture.
Eidinger, a prominent figure in European theater with the Schaubühne ensemble in Berlin, is acclaimed for Shakespearean roles like Hamlet and Richard III. His screen credits include Olivier Assayas's Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper, Noah Baumbach's White Noise and Jay Kelly, the series Babylon Berlin, and the miniseries All the Light We Cannot See. Nominated for European Actor at the 2024 European Film Awards for Dying, which also competed at the Berlin International Film Festival, Eidinger brings a background in intense, morally complex characters. He is also a musician and DJ.
Filming for Man of Tomorrow is slated to start in April 2026 in Atlanta, with a theatrical release on July 9, 2027. The project continues Gunn's vision for the DC Universe, blending spectacle with character depth after Superman's positive reception.
