Superman: James Gunn Could Bring Brainiac To Life

With the MCU continuing to dominate the superhero film industry, the highly anticipated release of James Gunn’s Superman film is set to be the first official film in the new DCU (DC Universe). With the first “chapter” of films being called Gods and Monsters, the Superman film will introduce actor David Cornsweet’s version of the Man of Steel, with Rachel Brosnahan playing Lois Lane, Nicholas Holt playing Lex Luthor, and a stacked cast bringing other beloved and deep-cut DC Comics characters to life. Yet one recent addition to the cast has many fans wondering if a surprise DC Comics villain may be making his DCU debut: Brainiac.

Recently, acclaimed sci-fi and voice actor Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Star Wars) was cast in an undisclosed role for the film. While the film already features many DC Comics characters, and the actor could be portraying any number of characters, there is a significant role that Alan’s range could bring to life on the big screen: Brainiac. While the villain has tested Superman physically over the years, it is the cold, calculating, and ruthless mind of Brainiac and his dark delivery of his goals that has made him such a chilling presence in the DC Comics world over the years, and what could bring a powerful villain to life in the DCU. Between the teaser images featured in the official poster for the film and the inclusion of other heroes/villains using nanotechnology and other forms of advanced robotics, could James Gunn’s Superman film bring Brainiac to life?

Brainiac in the Comics

Brainiac, otherwise known in the comics as Vril Dox, was once the ruler of any part of the planet Colu as an advanced form of AI, or Artificial Intelligence. When he was first introduced into DC and Superman lore, he had arrived on Earth to shrink cities using his technology in hopes of restoring the former planet that he ruled. However, when Metropolis became one of these cities, Superman intervened and later discovered Brainiac had also shrunk the Kryptonian city of Kandor. This recurring plot device would see Superman attempt to reverse the damage done to the last remaining survivors of his home world.

A green-skinned alien with a 12th-level intellect, the powerful villain has a long history of fighting against Superman and leaving a legacy that would haunt the other Coluans of his home world, as well as future beings designated Brainiac, including the future Legion of Superheroes hero, Brainiac-5. In the comics, Brainiac would often team up with Lex Luthor, both highly intellectual villains with a grudge against Superman. However, each of us always believed in being more intelligent than the other, which led to constant betrayal. Brainiac would make several attempts not only to conquer the universe, but also to upgrade his own body to surpass the Man of Steel and become the ultimate power in the universe.

In more recent comics, Brainiac faced mortality and a new form of evolution involving emotions when he began spreading his consciousness across multiple clone bodies across the multiverse, leading to the House of Brainiac story. This story saw the birth of the Brainiac Queen and the use of Lobo’s people, the Czarnians, who only survived Lobo’s destruction because Brainiac had shrunk their home. This epic battle with Superman and his family, as well as Lobo, ended with the villain’s seeming demise, but as with every “death” he’s faced, this surely won’t be the last.

Brainiac in the DCU

There are many characters and hints at the film’s story to suggest that Brainiac is not that far-fetched of a villain to include. The use of Lex Luthor in the movie is a great indicator, as Holt’s portrayal of the longtime Superman foe appears very much in line with his comic book counterpart. Suppose history were to repeat itself from the comics. In that case, an attempt by Luthor to contact or work with Brainiac to increase his knowledge and power over Superman is not outside the realm of possibility. Another tech-based character in the film is Mr. Terrific, who has experience traversing the multiverse and built his heroic career using tech, even founding his company, Holt Industries, and cornering the market using his invention, the T-Spheres.

Between these two influential minds, a third character may hint at a new origin story and a means of connecting to Brainiac, The Engineer, aka Angela Spica. One of the members of The Authority, the character is set to be one of the upcoming Superman film’s antagonists. A young woman obsessed with heroes from an early age, the death of the original Engineer led to her gaining his research, including linking her research to human-machine fusion. She replaced her blood with the metal liquid she gained from his study, giving herself machine-based powers, including nanotechnology and liquid metal skin. Perhaps her origins will be reworked to include gaining powers from working at Lexcorp or possessing a piece of Brainiac himself.

Alan Tudyk’s casting promises to bring a new element to the upcoming Superman film. With a long history of voicing both DC Comics heroes and villains, as well as playing the nefarious Mr Nobody on DC’s Doom Patrol, the actor is no stranger to the world of DC Comics, and if he were to be bringing any character to life, a largely CGI and voice-based performance as Brainiac would be perfect. Introducing the villain in the first Superman film while keeping him in the wings for future projects would allow the character to grow and thrive in this first chapter of the new DCU. Only time will tell until James Gunn’s Superman film debuts in 2025.