Superman is going to have his hands full in 2027's Man of Tomorrow, because actor Lars Eidinger just revealed that his character will be much more muscular and physically imposing than Lex Luthor was in Superman. Just two years after the release of Superman, fans will be receiving a sequel titled Man of Tomorrow. David Corenswet will return as Clark Kent (aka Superman) and Nicholas Hoult will reprise his role as Lex Luthor, but the upcoming film will add a new character named Brainiac, who will be played by German actor and rapper Lars Eidinger.
In a recent interview with German magazine Tip Berlin, Brainiac actor Lars Eidinger talked about his role in the upcoming film and what some of the requirements were for him to bring the character to life. Eidinger also talked about how he and Man of Tomorrow writer and director James Gunn (who is also the co-CEO of DC Studios and the creative mastermind behind the DCU) worked together to create the character.
For reference, Eidinger's quotes have been roughly translated from German to English.
Specifically, the actor and rapper mentioned that he feels a bit of "pressure" since the DCU is such a big franchise. However, he also revealed that James Gunn reached out to him and said that he would be "happy to design the role together with [Eidinger]," which made the actor "happy."
Eidinger stated that it made him more excited for the role since he would "not only be a vicarious agent," but would also be able to directly "contribute" to the creation of the character and his role:
"I already feel the pressure to pass there, of course. James Gunn wrote to me that he is happy to design the role together with me. I was happy about this formulation, because it means that I should not only be a vicarious agent, but can contribute."
Eidinger then revealed that his version of Brainiac will be way more muscular than other DCU villains such as Lex Luthor, saying that he "[trains] four times a week with a personal trainer to be fit, more lean and muscular."
Brainiac having a jacked physical appearance is not something the actor came up with himself, but rather a requirement from "the studio." It seems as though Gunn wants Brainiac to be more physically imposing than Lex Luthor was in Superman, so Eidinger is having to work extremely hard to build muscle for the role:
"The other day I flew to America again for a three-hour conversation and an equally long mask test to exchange ideas. In addition, I train four times a week with a personal trainer to be fit, more lean and muscular, as the studio requires."
How Brainiac Will Differ From Lex Luthor
A bulky supervillain for the Superman sequel will be quite a departure from the first film. Although Lex Luthor was the main antagonist in that film, he did not physically throw hands with the Man of Steel, and instead pulled the strings from behind the curtain.
It seems as though Brainiac will take a more hands-on approach when it comes to opposing Superman, and fans could see the two characters in a one-on-one fight at least once in the upcoming movie.
Interestingly, Brainiac has never been a mindless villain who only uses his fists to get what he wants. Historically, he has been regarded as one of the most intelligent beings in the world of DC, with an unquenchable thirst for more knowledge.
Brainiac is somewhat similar to Lex Luthor in that regard, as both characters tend to use their intelligence and their minds to solve problems (or create them, depending on your point of view), so it is a bit surprising that Gunn wants Eidinger to build a lot of muscle for the role and look bigger.
It is possible that Gunn simply wants Brainiac to seem like more of a threat than Lex was in Superman, and that would be achieved if Brainiac's intelligence were coupled with physical strength.
