James Gunn’s Superman Sequel Has The Identical Villain As Henry Cavill’s Canceled Man Of Metal 2

In artwork, as in life, it is all within the timing. Think about the destiny of Henry Cavill’s Superman: Although Cavill appeared as Kal-El/Clark Kent in 5 DC Prolonged Universe live-action movies (or six, relying on which of them you suppose depend), there was by no means a sequel to 2013’s “Man of Metal.” Positive, 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Daybreak of Justice” is basically the follow-up to that film, particularly because it brings again Cavill, a number of supporting characters, and director Zack Snyder. But “BvS” is undeniably an overstuffed movie, splitting its focus between the 2 titular characters whereas making an attempt to set the desk for the DCEU. Followers, defenders, and all-around enjoyers of “Man of Metal” lengthy hoped for a correct sequel to “Man of Metal,” anticipating the DCEU to function equally to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, wherein a number of characters would get solo franchises whereas often turning up in universe-wide crossover movies. The dearth of a sequel to “Man of Metal” feels, on reflection, like Exhibit A of how the DCEU mistreated Cavill and Superman. Heck, “Marvel Girl,” “Aquaman,” and even “Shazam” acquired a pair movies underneath their belts earlier than the universe folded!

Now that the DC characters are underneath new administration within the type of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios, the hopes for one more Cavill Superman movie are effectively and actually dashed. Including just a little insult to that damage is the latest information that the upcoming sequel to Gunn’s “Superman,” which is to be known as “Man of Tomorrow,” will apparently be utilizing a villain that at one level was for use within the unmade “Man of Metal 2.” As an illustration on the script cowl posted by Gunn on Instagram closely implies, the villain of “Man of Tomorrow” is to be the alien cyborg Brainiac. Based on a autopsy for Cavill’s tenure as Superman from The Hollywood Reporter in 2022, then-new Warner Bros. executives Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy aimed to make “Man of Metal 2” earlier than Gunn and Safran took over, and even went to the difficulty of hiring “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight, who reportedly wished Brainiac for the villain. So, whereas “Man of Tomorrow” will not be something like a “Man of Metal” sequel, it might nonetheless present a small glimpse of what may’ve been.

In fact, a Brainiac look in “Man of Tomorrow” solely appears to be the plan for now, and will simply change. One purpose for which may be that Gunn is just trolling with the script publish, and the movie may contain a unique villain (or villains) fully. One other is that, mockingly, Brainiac has historically been a little bit of a white whale for “Superman” on movie. To be truthful, he is a wierd character: As per his punny identify, he is a supergenius that has the power to doubtlessly outsmart Superman, but he additionally has a Silver Age of comedian books-like penchant for shrinking cities and placing them into bottles. In different phrases, his operate as a foil for Kal-El is not as sharply or shortly outlined as Lex Luthor, Common Zod, and even Doomsday.

Due to this, Brainiac has a historical past of practically showing in a “Superman” sequel for the reason that early Nineteen Eighties. Apparently, producers Ilya Salkind and Pierre Spengler had been contemplating Brainiac for “Superman III,” just for that movie to create a supercomputer nemesis for the Man of Metal as a substitute. In the course of the wacky and troubled pre-production course of for the deserted “Superman Lives” venture, which was to star Nicolas Cage and be directed by Tim Burton, Brainiac was a serious a part of a number of of these script drafts for the movie. Then, just a few years after the discharge of “Superman Returns” in 2006, author Michael Dougherty revealed that he was eager on utilizing Brainiac for the sequel to that film – a sequel which additionally by no means materialized.

All of this raises the query: Will “Man of Tomorrow” be one other “Superman III,” a film wherein Brainiac virtually seems however is changed or jettisoned? Or will the sequel mark the primary time that the character can be placed on display screen in a live-action theatrical “Superman” journey? We have got loads of time to consider it, as “Man of Tomorrow” will not hit film theaters till July 9, 2027.