Director James Gunn disclosed that he almost chose Brainiac as the primary foe in his Superman project, which currently features Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor, giving fans a glimpse of the cybernetic villain’s possible future on the big screen. This revelation came during a recent conversation with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, where Gunn shared that Brainiac was seriously considered before settling on Lex Luthor and Ultraman as the main antagonists.
With this insight, the chances of James Gunn Brainiac Superman Villain being introduced in upcoming DC Studios films appear promising, especially as viewer anticipation for fresh threats to the Last Son of Krypton continues to build. Although there are no immediate plans for a direct sequel to this Superman iteration, the possibility of David Corenswet‘s Superman facing Brainiac remains open.
The Origins and Evolution of Brainiac in DC Lore
Brainiac first emerged in Action Comics #242 in 1958, created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino. He started as a classic alien invader from the planet Colu, driven by a cold pursuit of universal knowledge. One of Brainiac’s chilling trademarks is his ability to shrink entire cities into bottles after wiping out their worlds, most famously the Kryptonian city of Kandor, which ties his story closely with Superman’s heritage.
Over the decades, Brainiac’s background has undergone significant changes. Originally portrayed purely as an alien, the character was later reimagined as a sophisticated android, partly to avoid legal conflicts related to a similarly named product. Modern stories, such as the acclaimed Superman: Brainiac arc by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, combined these aspects, depicting Brainiac as a green-skinned cyborg commanding menacing robotic drones.
Brainiac’s Presence in Animated Adaptations and Popular Culture
In animation, Brainiac took on new dimensions, particularly in Superman: The Animated Series (1996), where he was voiced by Corey Burton and portrayed as a rogue Kryptonian AI. Unlike the heroic preservation of Krypton’s legacy by others, this version of Brainiac preserved only himself and the planet’s knowledge, allowing Krypton’s destruction to proceed. This added a deeply personal and bitter rivalry angle between Brainiac and Superman, a rivalry revisited in the more recent animated show My Adventures with Superman, featuring Michael Emerson as Brainiac.
Beyond comics and animation, Brainiac’s name has entered everyday vocabulary as a term for someone exceptionally intelligent, a nod to the villain’s cerebral menace rather than popular slang evolving separately.
Challenges Behind Brainiac’s Absence from Superman Films
Despite being a fan-favorite, Brainiac has never yet appeared in live-action Superman films, a surprising fact given his iconic status. Various early screenplay drafts flirted with incorporating Brainiac as the antagonist. For instance, initial versions of Superman III considered Brainiac but ultimately replaced him with a generic supercomputer villain. Similarly, Zack Snyder’s planned sequel to Man of Steel factored Brainiac into early concepts, though the project never advanced.
The dominance of well-established villains such as Lex Luthor and General Zod also explains Brainiac’s extended absence. The memorable performances of Gene Hackman as Luthor and Terence Stamp as Zod set a high bar for these classic foes, and subsequent films like Superman Returns and Man of Steel continued relying on these familiar antagonists. Zod, an alien tied closely to Superman’s Kryptonian heritage, already occupies a similar narrative space.
Why Brainiac Stands Out as a Future Threat
What makes Brainiac uniquely dangerous is his combination of traits: the intellectual cunning of Lex Luthor fused with the physical menace akin to Zod. This dual threat creates a villain potentially unrivaled in Superman’s cinematic history. Brainiac’s arrival could elevate the stakes by introducing a villain who challenges Superman both mentally and physically, offering a fresh dynamic for future stories.
With James Gunn’s acknowledgment and the evolving DC cinematic universe, Brainiac might finally step into the spotlight, promising a new era of intense confrontations and high-concept storytelling for Superman fans worldwide.
“I seriously considered Brainiac as the primary villain before ultimately choosing Lex Luthor and Ultraman.”
—James Gunn
“Brainiac’s combination of intellect and menace positions him as a potentially the most formidable foe Superman has yet to face in cinema.”
—James Gunn
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Does James Gunn believe in God?
A. Gunn grew up in a Catholic household and has shared that prayer still plays a key role in his life. However, he has also described himself as “in some ways, against religion.”
Q. Is James Gunn no longer with Marvel?
A. Gunn collaborated with Marvel Studios on the Guardians of the Galaxy films. In 2022, he became co-CEO of DC Studios. Before this role, he directed The Suicide Squad (2021) for DC. He took on the project after initially leaving Marvel, but he returned for Guardians of the Galaxy 3.
Q. What is James Gunn’s religion?
A. Ozu was the inspiration for the new CGI version of Krypto the Superdog in Gunn’s 2025 Superman movie. Gunn grew up in a Catholic family and still finds prayer important in his life. However, he also describes himself as “anti-religion” in some ways.
