There has been a lot of speculation that Brainiac will be debuting in Man of Tomorrow as the next major supervillain of the DC Universe, and these seven actors would be great casting choices for the iconic Superman adversary. Shortly before Superman’s release in July 2025, DC Studios co-CEO and filmmaker James Gunn confirmed he was working on a follow-up to the rebooted DCU’s first feature film. In September, Gunn announced this would be Man of Tomorrow, which will bring David Corenswet’s Superman and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor back to the DCU in 2027.
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We know Man of Tomorrow won’t be a direct sequel to Superman, but the movie will team up Superman and Luthor against a bigger threat. Major rumors suggest that this bigger threat will be Brainiac, one of Superman’s greatest enemies who debuted in DC Comics in 1958’s Action Comics #242. Brainiac is an extraterrestrial, super-intelligent android who travels the galaxy shrinking cities and preserving them to gain knowledge, and this includes Krypton’s capital city, Kandor, bringing him into opposition with Superman. While Brainiac’s DCU debut hasn’t been confirmed, these seven actors would be strong casting choices for the iconic supervillain.
7) James Marsters
Perhaps best known for playing Spike in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, James Marsters would be a strong choice to play Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow given his prior experience with the role. Marsters portrayed Professor Milton Fine and Brainiac 5 in Smallville between 2005 and 2010, battling Tom Welling’s Clark Kent, and this work gave him a unique insight into the villain’s complexities. Marsters is adept at playing manipulative, calculating, and charismatic villains that we love to hate, including those in Torchwood, Runaways, Supernatural, and more, so it would make sense for him to become the DCU’s Brainiac.
6) Rami Malek
After gaining recognition for his portrayal of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody and hacker Elliot Anderson in Mr. Robot, Rami Malek recently took on the role of a terrifying villain that proves he’d be great for Brainiac. His ability to capture intellect, his unnerving intensity, and his ability to portray emotion and apathy as No Time to Die’s Lyutsifer Safin has set him up perfectly to play Brainiac in the DCU. Casting Malek as Brainiac could make Man of Tomorrow a psychological thriller, making it a unique addition to the DCU’s varied slate of upcoming projects.
5) Hugo Weaving
Hugo Weaving has already played some of cinema’s most iconic supervillains, including Johann Schmidt’s Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger and Agent Smith in The Matrix film series. Making the move to the DCU to play the sinister Brainiac would be a formidable addition to this repertoire. Weaving’s past performances have proven he has the talents to deliver inhuman coldness, intellectual arrogance, a commanding physical presence, and an unsettling stillness to portray villains that are hard to forget. This would all work to benefit Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, so Weaving would be an inspired choice.
4) Jason Isaacs
Similarly to Weaving, Jason Isaacs has played some memorable and haunting villains that we struggle to forget even years later. The Harry Potter film series’ Lucius Malfoy, Star Trek: Discovery’s Gabriel Lorca, The OA’s Hap, Timothy Ratliff in The White Lotus, the Eminence in Marvel Studios’ What If…?, and more, Jason Isaacs has delivered captivating, powerful, authoritarian, and complex villains time and again. His recognizable tone of voice and intimidating presence make him a perfect fit for Brainiac in the DCU, and it would be incredible to see him finally get a substantial and prominent role in a superhero franchise.
3) Sterling K. Brown
Sterling K. Brown is widely regarded to be one of the strongest actors working in Hollywood today, and his performances in This Is Us, Paradise, American Fiction, Black Panther, and more – hell, even Brooklyn Nine Nine – prove he’d be a huge asset to the DCU. Brown would be brilliant at making Brainiac more of a likeable villain in the DCU, giving him human, soulful qualities that other actors would struggle with. He has the stoic presence of the super-intelligent villain, but also his more captivating and charismatic tones, and it’d be great to see his chemistry with David Corenswet’s Superman.
2) Ralph Fiennes
With a career spanning 40 years, Ralph Fiennes would bring a level of prestige, experience, and theatricality to the role of Brainiac in the DCU. After his recent turn as Dr. Ian Kelson in 28 Years Later and his upcoming run as iconic villain President Snow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, Fiennes is seeing something of a mainstream resurgence that could lead to a role in the DCU. Having played one of the most infamous villains in history – Harry Potter’s Lord Voldemort – it would be great to see Fiennes debut as one of DC’s most powerful antagonists.
1) Mads Mikkelsen
Mads Mikkelsen may have missed out on a more substantial Marvel villain after playing Kaecilius in Doctor Strange, and being unsuccessful at vying for Doctor Doom, but the DCU could finally give him justice. Mikkelsen’s performances as Hannibal’s titular antagonist and Casino Royale’s Le Chiffre, among many other iconic roles, make him a perfect fit for Brainiac. He has previously stated that he loves playing villains who believe they are the heroes, and this brief fits Brainiac to a tee, so it would be incredible for Mads Mikkelsen to get the superhero franchise role he deserves in Man of Tomorrow.
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