James Gunn's Man of Tomorrow received an exciting casting update for an unexpected character: one of Superman's love interests from DC Comics. The upcoming DC Studios sequel is expected to explore Brainiac's imminent arrival on Earth, forcing Superman and Lex Luthor to work together to prevent his full-blown invasion. The cast of Man of Tomorrow is already packed with returning favorites, including David Corenswet as Superman and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, while German actor Lars Eidinger steps in as the formidable new villain Brainiac in the sequel.
Deadline shared that James Gunn is already on the verge of casting another key role in Man of Tomorrow, with the DC Studios co-CEO eyeing Marisa Abela, Adria Arjona, and Ella Purnell to play Maxima, a would-be love interest for Superman, in the DCU sequel.
Created by Roger Stern and George Pérez, Maxima, the warrior queen of the planet Almerac, was introduced in Action Comics #645 as a love interest, antagonist, and eventual ally of Superman. Maxima viewed Superman as the only genetically compatible partner strong enough for her and someone who could give her children that no Earth woman (like Lois Lane) could.
If the casting is true, then Maxima would become Man of Tomorrow's fourth villain, joining the likes of Brainiac, Lex Luthor, and Rick Flag Sr.
In November 2025, Nexus Point News and insider Daniel Richtman reported Maxima's involvement in Man of Tomorrow, but this is the first time high-profile actresses have been attached to the role.
Marisa Abela is best known for her roles as Clarissa Dubose in Black Bag and Yasmin Kara-Hanani in Industry. Meanwhile, Adria Arjona, known for playing Bix Caleen in Andor, has been a fan-favorite casting choice to play Wonder Woman. Ella Purnell recently starred as Lucy MacLean in Prime Video's Fallout, and she also played Jackie in Showtime's Yellowjackets.
UPDATE: DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn (via Threads) debunked Deadline's report on the casting of Maxima in Man of Tomorrow, noting, "Deadline's reporting is shoddy and incorrect," and outright called them out on social media:
"This is not against Nexus - they're sharing what Deadline reported - but Deadline's reporting is shoddy & incorrect. I've always thought Deadline was pretty thorough in their journalism but that's not the case here so I'm frankly disappointed. If someone would have run these names by us we would have said it's bullshit. I've been friends with Adria a long time since I cast her in the Belko Experiment. I'm a fan of both Marisa and Ella but I've never met either of them. Crazy."
Gunn also said in a separate post that he already announced every major role in Man of Tomorrow. Given that Maxima's casting has not yet been announced, this suggests she will only have a minor role in the sequel.
Man of Tomorrow is set to premiere in theaters on July 9, 2027.
How Maxima's Inclusion in Man of Tomorrow Affects Superman & Lois
Maxima's involvement in Man of Tomorrow positions her as a romantic rival to Lois Lane, potentially causing trouble for the already-established relationship between Superman and Lois.
In DC Comics, Maxima is known for being fixated on Superman, and this obsession is dangerous because she demands marriage, viewing him as her destined king.
This immediately creates personal tension between Lois and Clark, meaning that Maxima could target Lois and put her life in danger in Man of Tomorrow, seeing her as an obstacle or rival to be eliminated.
For Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane, Maxima's introduction adds a new layer of vulnerability, raising her stakes and deepening her arc amid the chaos of Brainiac's arrival.
