Michael Rooker In Superman 2? Matt Smith Reportedly Losing Brainiac Race, Yondu Actor May be Gunn’s Prime Candidate
Since James Gunn confirmed Man of Tomorrow will comprise Brainiac as its main antagonist, fans are going into a frenzy over potential contenders for the gig, with Matt Smith rising as one of the top contenders to nab the gig. According to semi-reliable scooper Grace Randolph, Smith, while once a top pick for the gig, is reportedly not being considered for the role anymore.
It’s someone Gunn has worked with before, quite a bit
— Grace Randolph (@GraceRandolph) December 6, 2025
Elaborating on it, she addressed that it’s apparently an actor Gunn has worked with before. Although the list of actors who work with the DCU head frequently is pretty substantial, there’s a slim chance the actor in question could be none other than Michael Rooker, a regular across Gunn’s filmography.
James Gunn Has Teased Michael Rooker’s Return in the DCU
Michael Rooker has worked with Gunn frequently, with his most recent gig being Red St. Wild in Peacemaker season 2. What strengthens the case for Rooker’s return as Brainiac is that Gunn hasn’t denounced the prospect of The Walking Dead star’s return despite his death in Peacemaker season 2.
Interestingly, Rooker wasn’t the original choice to realize the character onscreen, as he was brought in as a replacement. However, Gunn previously stressed that his brief stint as Red St. Wild won’t rule out the possibility of Rooker’s return in future DCU movies as another character (via Peacemaker: The Official Podcast).
Things weren’t quite going well, and so I called you up. I said, ‘Could you do me a favor? We’ve already spent all of our money on our show. Will you help us out and come in and do this role as a favor? The one thing I’ll tell you is that we will not consider this – meaning that you can’t play another role in the DCU.” The conversation starts at around eight minutes in.
Gunn’s previous remarks certainly lend weight to Rooker’s potential casting as Brainiac. However, given that Rooker’s previous DC roles have seen him subject to horrifying deaths, there’s a good chance the same trend will continue with his next potential DC role.
Add Fandomwire as a Trusted Source
Another Marvel Star is Reportedly Being Eyed for Brainiac
Beyond Smith and Rooker, another actor who has reportedly garnered traction as the potential candidate to headline the Superman villain is Sam Rockwell, who played the secondary antagonist in Robert Downey Jr‘s Iron Man 2.
Sam Rockwell in Iron Man 2 | Credit: Marvel Studios
According to Nexus Point News, Rockwell, alongside Smith and Claes Bang, was reportedly shortlisted for the gig, and the DCU is apparently against casting any desirable name from nabbing the role. The report further suggested that actors with a strong build and stature were being considered for the role. As for the production, the movie is expected to commence filming next summer, per co-lead Nicholas Hoult (via Everything_DCU).
I can’t reveal anything, I’d get into a lot of trouble. But we start filming in April.
With the sequel set to begin filming in April 2026, hopefully, we’ll get a proper reveal for the Brainiac casting in the coming weeks, similar to how the casting for Superman and Supergirl was announced.
Who is your pick for Brainiac? Drop your thoughts below!
Man of Tomorrow releases on July 9, 2026.
