James Gunn has shut down rumors that one of his former Guardians of the Galaxy actors will play Superman 2's central villain. Superman 2 (aka Man of Tomorrow) has been confirmed to be in development for several months at this point; however, who its big bad would be is a relatively new piece of news. According to reports, the terrifying Brainiac will take on the Man of Steel in the upcoming DCU sequel.
The Brainiac casting search seems to be the next most pressing matter for the 2027 super-powered epic, with names like Matt Smith and Sam Rockwell being just a few of the A-list actors DC Studios has reportedly met with for the role. Word is that an official casting announcement may be imminent, meaning that Gunn and his team have seemingly whittled their list down to just a few.
In a new post online, Gunn denied a recent report that Dave Bautista was the frontrunner to take on the Brainiac role. In a new newsletter from insider Jeff Snieder, it was posited that the former Guardians of the Galaxy actor is currently the name DC Studios has taken a liking to for its Superman 2 villain; however, Gunn says that is not true.
Writing from his personal Threads account, Gunn remarked that, "I freaking love [Dave Bautista]...but he & I have never discussed a role in Man of Tomorrow:"
"Oh boy. Let’s forget a moment I’ve never said Brainiac was in the movie. I freaking love Dave Bautista & I have many ideas for who he could play in the DCU. But he & I have never discussed a role in 'Man of Tomorrow,' nor have we discussed it amongst ourselves at DC. In addition, truly, NONE of the names, from the six or seven I’ve seen rumored for a role, have auditioned or been discussed at all."
"In general, I’m just letting the silly rumors go," Gunn continued, "but Dave is a friend, and that makes it more irritating:"
"In general I’m just letting the silly rumors go - and this is certainly not the silliest I’ve heard recently - but Dave is a friend and that makes it more irritating. Btw I’m not blaming the poster here - I imagine this is coming from other places."
Bautista previously worked with Man of Tomorrow and DC Studios co-lead James Gunn on the Guardians films, where he played the towering Drax the Destroyer. So far in his DCU tenure, Gunn has not been shy in bringing back various actors he had worked with previously, especially when it comes to former Guardians actors.
Bradley Cooper, Pom Klementieff, and Michael Rooker all had parts in the first Superman film, albeit somewhat smaller ones. If Bautista were to get cast as Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, it would easily be the most significant part that a former Guardians actor has taken on in Gunn's new DC-based efforts.
No official Brainiac casting information has been made public at this time. Superman 2: Man of Tomorrow is set to soar into theaters on July 9, 2027. Directed once again by Gun himself, Man of Tomorrow is set to see David Corenswet's titular Kryptonian forced to join forces with the villainous Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) to take on a common threat (read more about Superman 2 here).
Will Dave Bautista End Up Playing Brainiac?
James Gunn has never been one to shy away from working with the same sorts of people over and over again. Once you are in the Gunn family, you often stay there, with similar names popping up all over the director's storied catalog at this point.
Because of this, it would not be all that surprising if this latest Brainiac report were to come true, despite what Gunn may be saying publicly. Pair that with the fact that DC Studios was reportedly looking for someone with a "strong build and stature" for its Superman 2 big bad, two things that Bautista has in spades.
Bautista has transformed himself into a remarkably talented actor over the years, taking on roles in hits like the Dune franchise and Blade Runner 2049; however, some have been skeptical about whether he would be the right choice for Brainiac specifically.
While yes, Brainiac in the comics has the kind of hulking stature of someone like the former Drax actor, but he is often depicted as this snakey supergenius, something not usually associated with roles Bautista has taken on. Not to say that he couldn't do it, but he hasn't necessarily shown that side of himself as an actor yet.
Gunn usually knocks it out of the park with his specific casting choices, so if Bautista is the one for the role, then fans will have to have faith in the vision. However, if not, surely he will have someone special to take up the part that will be just as exciting.
