GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 3 Villain Chukwudi Iwuji Wants Brainiac Role in MAN OF TOMORROW
With Man of Tomorrow set to be the next chapter in James Gunn’s DCU, all signs are pointing toward Brainiac as the film’s big bad. While Warner Bros. hasn’t confirmed anything yet, one actor is already ready to take on the role: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 star Chukwudi Iwuji.
Iwuji has become one of Gunn’s go-to talents. He first appeared in Peacemaker as Clemson Murn, who was later revealed to be the Butterfly Ik Nobe Lok. He then went full supervillain in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, delivering a chilling performance as The High Evolutionary, Rocket Raccoon’s twisted creator. Now, the actor says he would love to sink his teeth into playing Superman’s notorious nemesis.
“Could I see myself doing it? If James picked up the phone and called me, absolutely. Is it a cool role? You’re like the 12th person that’s mentioned it. So, I obviously went online and looked and went, ‘Oh, wow. This guy is cool.’
“So, could I see myself if I had the opportunity? I’d jump at it. The ‘no’ I said is just to let everyone know James hasn’t…this isn’t me lying to you. ‘I’m so sorry I lied to you but I had to. I was under contract.
“They’d have arrested me, deported me.’ But this is not lying to you at all. There’s absolutely no links whatsoever to Brainiac. And I’m not lying. Okay?”
Brainiac would be a major threat for Gunn’s Superman sequel and one of the few villains powerful enough to force Superman and Lex Luthor into an uneasy alliance.
The idea of Iwuji stepping into the role isn’t too far-fetched either. His High Evolutionary already showed he has the gravitas, menace, and intelligence to embody a larger-than-life villain like Brainiac.
Some might argue it could feel too similar, but there’s no denying he has the range to bring something new to the table.
Even Gunn fueled speculation when he shared the script cover for Man of Tomorrow, which teased imagery many fans linked to Brainiac. The filmmaker addressed the chatter by saying, “Listen, of course I wasn't unaware that when I posted the cover of the script that there was going to be discussion around that particular topic. But I think we'll hold off from what exactly is happening.”
Interestingly, Iwuji didn’t just talk about Brainiac. He also admitted he’d love a crack at the The Joker.
“There has to be something maniacal about the Joker, right? But ‘maniacal’ has such a huge range. [What] moved me most [about Heath Ledger’s version] was when you realize that he keeps making up a story about his father each time.
“And when I asked myself, ‘Well, why would you do that?’ Again, that loneliness and that he’s covering up with this flamboyant thing, but he keeps making up a story about his father.
“I just feel there’s so much richness about sadness with the Joker. And when you’re so laser-focused on your inner turmoil, the things you could do to other people without even it counting is very scary.”
Whether it’s Brainiac, the Joker, or another DC villain entirely, Iwuji has proven he can bring complexity, charisma, and menace to any role. If Gunn is looking for someone who can challenge Superman on every level in Man of Tomorrow, Iwuji might just be the guy.
Man of Tomorrow is set to hit theaters on July 9, 2027.
Source: The Movie Dweeb