James Gunn is bringing one of Superman’s most iconic villains to the big screen for the first time—and he’s chosen a surprising actor to do it. The DC Studios co-head announced Saturday that German actor Lars Eidinger has been cast as Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, the highly anticipated follow-up to this summer’s Superman reboot.
A Worldwide Search Leads to Germany
Gunn made the announcement on his Instagram account, emphasizing the extensive casting process that led to Eidinger’s selection.
“In our worldwide search for Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, Lars Eidinger rose to the top,” Gunn wrote. “Welcome to the DCU, Lars.”
The casting represents another bold choice from Gunn, who has consistently looked beyond the usual Hollywood suspects when building his new DC Universe. Rather than opting for a household name, Gunn has selected a critically acclaimed international actor whose work may be less familiar to North American audiences but whose talent speaks for itself.
Who Is Lars Eidinger?
At 49, Eidinger has built an impressive career primarily in European cinema and television. While his name might not immediately ring bells for mainstream American audiences, those who keep up with international film and prestige television will recognize his work.
Currently, Eidinger can be seen in Jay Kelly, the George Clooney and Adam Sandler film now streaming on Netflix. His diverse filmography includes the acclaimed German series Babylon Berlin, the Netflix limited series All the Light We Cannot See, Claire Denis’s science fiction film High Life, and Tim Burton’s live-action Dumbo remake.
He’s also appeared in Clouds of Sils Maria and Personal Shopper (both starring Kristen Stewart), Noah Baumbach’s White Noise, Olivier Assayas’s Irma Vep, and the Swiss drama My Little Sister. This range demonstrates Eidinger’s ability to move between arthouse cinema, prestige television, and mainstream Hollywood productions—exactly the kind of versatility Gunn typically seeks in his casting choices.
Beyond acting, Eidinger is also a musician, working as a rapper and DJ. This multifaceted creative background suggests someone comfortable with performance in various contexts, which could serve him well in bringing a complex villain to life in a major superhero franchise.
Brainiac Finally Makes His Live-Action Debut
Despite being one of Superman’s most formidable and longstanding adversaries, Brainiac has never appeared in a live-action theatrical film—an absence that has puzzled fans for decades. The character has appeared in animated projects and television shows, most notably in various Superman animated series and Smallville, but the big screen has eluded him until now.
Created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, Brainiac made his comic book debut in Action Comics #242 in 1958. His original incarnation was an alien android and scientist from the planet Colu named Vril Dox. Over the decades, the character has evolved considerably in the comics, with various origin stories and incarnations.
In his current form, Brainiac exists as a cyborg with access to multiple super-strong bodies. His intelligence is his defining characteristic—he’s made it his singular goal to collect and preserve all knowledge that exists throughout the universe. This obsessive quest for information makes him a uniquely dangerous threat.
A Villain with a Chilling Method
What makes Brainiac particularly terrifying isn’t just his power—it’s his methodology. He travels from world to world, selecting cities that represent the pinnacle of each civilization’s achievement. He then shrinks these cities, bottles them for his collection, and destroys everything else, essentially committing genocide while preserving specimens like a cosmic collector.
One of Brainiac’s most significant prizes is Kandor, the Kryptonian city he captured before Krypton’s destruction. In some versions of Superman’s mythology, Brainiac isn’t just responsible for stealing Kandor—he’s actually the one who causes Krypton’s destruction after taking what he wanted. This makes him not just Superman’s enemy but potentially the being responsible for the death of Clark Kent’s entire species.
The thematic richness of Brainiac as a villain is considerable. He represents cold, calculating logic without empathy or morality. He values knowledge but treats living beings as mere specimens. He’s preservation without compassion, intelligence without wisdom. For Superman, a hero who values all life and fights to protect the vulnerable, Brainiac represents everything he opposes.
An Unlikely Alliance
Man of Tomorrow’s plot will see Superman, played by David Corenswet, forced into an alliance with his archenemy Lex Luthor, portrayed by Nicholas Hoult. The two will have to work together to protect Earth from Brainiac’s threat.
This premise sets up fascinating dynamics. Lex Luthor, typically portrayed as Superman’s intellectual equal among humans, will have to confront an alien intelligence that far surpasses even his genius. Superman will need to collaborate with someone who fundamentally opposes everything he stands for. And both will face an enemy who views Earth as just another planet to catalog and destroy.
The setup also suggests that Brainiac’s threat will be substantial enough that Superman cannot handle it alone, even with his incredible powers. This positions Brainiac as perhaps the most dangerous villain the new DC Universe has introduced so far.
Gunn’s Continued Casting Success
This casting continues James Gunn’s track record of finding unexpected actors for major superhero roles. His casting of David Corenswet as Superman itself was considered a bold choice, selecting a relatively unknown actor for one of entertainment’s most iconic roles. Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor similarly surprised many who expected a more obvious choice.
By selecting Lars Eidinger for Brainiac, Gunn demonstrates his commitment to prioritizing acting ability and the right fit for the character over name recognition. It’s an approach that served him well in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with his Guardians of the Galaxy films and appears to be a cornerstone of his DC Universe strategy.
International actors bringing European sensibilities to American superhero films can create interesting results. Eidinger’s background in arthouse and prestige cinema suggests he’ll bring depth and nuance to a role that could easily become one-dimensional in less capable hands.
The Road to 2027
Man of Tomorrow begins filming next year, with a release date set for July 9, 2027. That timeline gives Eidinger time to prepare for what will likely be a physically and dramatically demanding role, especially if Brainiac appears in his cyborg form with significant practical or digital effects work required.
The gap between Superman (releasing this summer) and Man of Tomorrow also gives the DC Universe room to expand. Other films and projects will introduce additional characters and build out this new continuity, making the eventual team-up between Superman and Luthor feel earned rather than rushed.
For fans who have waited decades to see Brainiac on the big screen, the casting of Lars Eidinger offers both excitement and intrigue. He’s not the obvious choice, which often means he’s exactly the right one. If Gunn’s track record is any indication, this unexpected selection will prove inspired.
A New Era for Superman Villains
With Brainiac finally getting his live-action debut and Lex Luthor being reimagined for a new generation, Man of Tomorrow is positioning itself as a film that takes Superman’s mythology seriously while bringing fresh perspectives to familiar elements.
Lars Eidinger’s casting as Brainiac represents the kind of bold creative choice that either falls flat or becomes iconic. Given James Gunn’s history and Eidinger’s talent, the odds favor the latter. Come July 2027, audiences will finally see one of Superman’s greatest foes brought to life—and discover whether this worldwide search found exactly the right actor to embody cold, calculating evil with a smile.
