As Superman follow-up Man of Tomorrow rounds into shape, the film’s cast has been one of the biggest talking points. Unsurprisingly, the ensemble features several returning actors from last summer’s DC Studios blockbuster, but there will also be plenty of newcomers making their cinematic debut in the franchise. Lars Eidinger is onboard to play the villain Brainiac, and Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart is set to make the leap from Lanterns to the big screen. There had long been speculation that there was one more key role to cast — that of Maxima. One week after a rumored shortlist of names made the rounds, someone has finally been cast.
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According to The Hollywood Reporter, Andor star Adria Arjona has been cast in Man of Tomorrow. The outlet describes her character as a “mystery role,” but Variety mentions that Arjona is indeed portraying Maxima. She reportedly beat out Eva De Dominici, Sydney Chandler, and Grace Van Patten.
What Role Could Maxima Play In Man of Tomorrow?
It is important to note that, as of this writing, Arjona’s casting has not been confirmed by anyone who’s part of the Man of Tomorrow creative team. Just last week, James Gunn vehemently debunked a trade report claiming Arjona, Ella Purnell, and Marisa Abela were in the running for a role in the film, so DC fans are likely waiting for Gunn to weigh in before celebrating the news. Assuming this is true, Arjona is a very exciting addition to the DCU franchise. After leaving an impression on viewers with her fantastic work on Andor, she’s been a popular pick for various superhero roles, including Wonder Woman.
If Arjona is locked in as Maxima, the next order of business will be figuring out how the character fits into the Man of Tomorrow story. In the comics, Maxima is the queen of the alien planet Almerac. She seeks out Kal-El because she believes he is the only one who is worthy of being her mate, hoping he will provide her with a suitable heir. In that respect, Maxima could be an amusing way to payoff Superman‘s “secret harem” line, as she would be positioned as a romantic rival to Lois Lane. Of course, Gunn, who has always had a history of spotlighting what makes obscure comic book characters so special, likely has something a little deeper in mind than just having Maxima be a secondary love interest.
Brainiac serving as the main antagonist in Man of Tomorrow provides an organic entrypoint for Maxima in the narrative. In the “Panic in the Sky” storyline, she is initially an unwilling ally of Brainiac after the villain takes over her home world. She later has a change of heart and helps Earth fight back against Brainiac’s advances. Outside of the unlikely Superman/Lex Luthor team-up, specific plot details for Man of Tomorrow are being kept under wraps, but it’d be reasonable to assume parts of the film will be influenced by “Panic in the Sky.” Maxima could be introduced as a seductive villain who then decides to fight alongside Superman, setting the character up to have a future in the DCU.
Maxima may not be a household name now, but she’s been one of the most fascinating figures in DC lore for decades. Given her morally ambiguous nature, there are a lot of different directions Gunn and Co. can ultimately take the character. In the comics, Maxima was even a member of the Justice League at one point, so perhaps Man of Tomorrow will help lay the groundwork for her to become part of a superhero team. Whatever Gunn has in mind, it should be something fascinating. In the past, he’s remarked that he’s been friends with Arjona for a long time, dating back to their collaboration on The Belko Experiment. He likely wouldn’t cast Arjona as Maxima if it was just a bit part.
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