New MAN OF TOMORROW Rumor Teases Brainiac’s Bottled Cities and a Possible Kandor Reveal
Brainiac is finally coming to the big screen, and if a new Man of Tomorrow rumor is accurate, James Gunn may be giving the classic Superman villain one of his coolest comic book trademarks with an entire collection of bottled cities.
The upcoming Superman sequel will introduce Lars Eidinger as Brainiac, marking the villain’s first live-action appearance in a theatrical movie. Now a new rumor suggests the film could be digging deep into Brainiac's mythology.
According to an image posted by @CartierFilms, Man of Tomorrow will reportedly include a practical set built to represent Brainiac’s collection of bottled cities. The insider claims it will be comparable in scale and execution to Superman’s Fortress of Solitude set. “It’s a built set, btw, not CGI,” wrote the user.
For now, this should remain firmly in rumor territory. DC Studios hasn’t confirmed that Brainiac’s bottled cities will appear in Man of Tomorrow, nor has the studio commented on the reported set.
Still, it’s a pretty damn cool possibility, especially considering what Brainiac’s collection could mean for Superman and the larger DCU.
In the comics, Brainiac is infamous for collecting civilizations, shrinking entire cities and preserving them in bottles. One of the most important is Kandor, the former capital of Krypton.
Brainiac stealing and preserving Kandor has been a major part of Superman mythology, and bringing that concept into the DCU opens up some fascinating storytelling possibilities.
If Kandor is sitting somewhere inside Brainiac’s collection in Man of Tomorrow, Superman could potentially discover that a piece of Krypton survived its destruction. That revelation would be enormous for this version of the character, particularly after what Clark learned about his biological parents in Superman.
The 2025 film revealed that Jor-El and Lara sent their son to Earth with instructions to conquer the planet, adding an uncomfortable complication to Clark’s understanding of where he came from. We also learned through Supergirl that her parents didn’t share that philosophy.
Throw Kandor into the equation and things could get even more complicated. A surviving Kryptonian city could give Superman an opportunity to learn more about his people from Kryptonians who actually lived there.
It could also challenge what he currently believes about his parents, his heritage, and Kryptonian society itself. Depending on how Gunn approaches it, Kandor could become much more than another piece of Brainiac imagery. It could have ramifications extending well beyond Man of Tomorrow.
The reported decision to physically build Brainiac’s collection would also fit with Gunn’s approach to the DCU so far.
The Fortress of Solitude in Superman really cool, especially because so much of the environment was physically constructed rather than created entirely through CGI. That gave Superman’s Kryptonian sanctuary a tangible quality, and apparently Brainiac’s collection could receive similar treatment.
Gunn has continued leaning into practical craftsmanship where it makes sense. Lex Luthor’s new warsuit is another example, with a physical suit being created for the production rather than leaving the entire design to visual effects.
Brainiac’s bottled cities could be particularly impressive with that approach. More importantly, it gives the villain something we've been waiting a very long time to see in a Superman movie.
Brainiac has somehow avoided the big screen throughout Superman’s theatrical history despite being one of his greatest enemies. With Eidinger finally bringing him into live-action cinema, Man of Tomorrow has an opportunity to embrace the weirder sci-fi elements that make the character so much fun.
And if one of those little bottles happens to contain Kandor, Superman may be about to discover that Krypton isn't quite as gone as he thought.
Man of Tomorrow is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027.