Despite some well-known Hollywood A-listers reportedly being in the mix to play Brainiac in James Gunn's Superman: Man of Tomorrow film, the Guardians of the Galaxy helmer ultimately chose German actor Lars Eidinger for the role.
In a new interview with tipBerlin, Eidinger is revealing what he's looking to bring to the Superman sequel, and it sounds like the role will require a bit of physicality.
That's possibly a big clue for Man of Tomorrow as in the comics, Brainiac can take many forms- some of which physically battle the Man of Steel face-to-face, while others are more robotic and send mechanical creations and weaponry to menace the Last Son of Krypton.
Eidinger told the German outlet, "James Gunn wrote to me that he is happy to design the role together with me. I was happy about this formula-tion, because it means that I should not only be a vicarious agent, but can contribute. In addition, I train four times a week with a personal trainer to be fit, more lean and muscular, as the studio requires."
He went on to add, "I already feel the pressure ... [but] I was happy about this formulation, because it means that I should not only be a vicarious agent, but can contribute."
"The other day I flew to America again for a three-hour conversation and an equally long mask test to exchange ideas."'
Interestingly enough, he also revealed that Greta Gerwig (Barbie, Ladybird) was the one who recommended him to Gunn for the role of Brainiac. Gerwig and Lars Eidinger both starred in her husband's (Noah Baumbach) 2022 Netflix film White Noise.
Filming on Man of Tomorrow is set to kick off on April 17, 2026, with most of the production work planned for Atlanta and London. The film is currently slated to hit theaters on July 9, 2027.
The Superman follow-up will feature David Corenswet’s Superman and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor in an unlikely alliance against Eidinger's Brainiac.
Gunn is once again pulling double duty as both the writer and director. Along with Corenswet, Hoult and Eidinger, the main cast includes Rachel Brosnahan reprising her role as Lois Lane along with other returning supporting cast such as Skyler Gisondo, Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl, Maria Gabriella de Faría's Engineer and Sara Sampaio's Eve Teschmacher.
It seems that Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner has been sent on a tour of duty in another space sector as the Green Lantern in Man of Tomorrow will be Aaron Pierre's John Stewart.