Who Could Be The Villain of ‘The Man of Tomorrow’?
James Gunn’s upcoming Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow (scheduled for 2027) has fans buzzing about who the primary antagonist, the “Big Bad”, might be.
Several villains from Superman’s rogues gallery (some even hinted at through Peacemaker Season 2’s multiverse storyline) are in contention.
Below, we explore each potential villain in detail and how they could plausibly serve as the main villain in Man of Tomorrow.
We also have some honorable mentions beyond the initial list who we think are least likely to be the Big Bad of the film.
Metallo – The Kryptonite-Powered Cyborg
Metallo aka (John Corben) is a cyborg whose Kryptonite heart makes him one of Superman’s deadliest foes.
With his human brain inside a robotic body, he boasts superhuman strength and durability… but it’s the Kryptonite radiation that allows him to wound even the near invulnerable Man of Steel.
It’s in John Byrne’s run, Metallo came dangerously close to killing Superman, proving he’s more than just another heavy hitter.
In James Gunn’s DCU, Metallo could tie directly into Peacemaker Season 2 if its alternate Earth turns out to be Earth-X (or similar to).
DC lore even features an Earth-X version of Metallo… a Kryptonite powered soldier of the Reich.
Bringing him into the main DCU would make for a chilling enforcer who could either align with other villains or carve his own path of destruction.
Metallo works because he embodies both human resentment and mechanical might. He’s not always a mastermind, but his presence forces Superman into brutal physical conflict while naturally tying in Lex Luthor due to the technology side of things and in some iterations even being his creator.
As a central villain, Metallo could symbolize humanity’s fear of Superman… the desire to “level the playing field” against a godlike alien.
Brainiac – The Cosmic “Collector of Worlds”
Brainiac, the alien AI known as the “Collector of Worlds,” is one of Superman’s deadliest foes and still absent from live-action films.
With a 12th level intellect, vast alien tech, and armies of drones, he abducts entire cities (like Krypton’s Kandor) and even collects fragments of timelines to store on his world Telos.
His arrival in Man of Tomorrow would instantly raise the stakes, presenting a threat far beyond a single villain fight.
For Superman, Brainiac is both a physical and intellectual challenge. He can match the Man of Steel’s strength through advanced android bodies, while also tempting Clark with Kryptonian knowledge.
Story wise, he could tie directly into the multiverse threads Gunn is weaving… perhaps targeting Earth-X or another alternate timeline.
Most importantly, Brainiac isn’t just a Superman villain, he’s a Justice League villain.
A cosmic conqueror with the ability to end civilizations sets the stage for alliances that extend beyond Superman alone. His presence could naturally evolve into a DCU wide event, making him the perfect Big Bad to expand Gunn’s universe from Man of Tomorrow into an eventual Justice League confrontation.
Mister Mxyzptlk – The 5th-Dimensional Trickster
Mister Mxyzptlk (pronounced “Miks-yez-pit-lick”) is a mischievous imp from the 5th Dimension who can warp reality on a whim.
Since the 1940s, he’s been one of Superman’s strangest foes, more prankster than conqueror, but dangerous because his magic defies all logic.
Traditionally, the only way to defeat him is to trick him into saying his name backwards, banishing him home.
Mxyzptlk fits perfectly with James Gunn’s love of weird, offbeat characters. His antics could turn Man of Tomorrow into a surreal ride where Metropolis is turned inside out with time loops and civilians transformed into bizarre creatures.
Gunn has even sorta teased 5thdimensional imps before, with a possible Easter egg in Superman and mentions of Bat-Mite in another project.
As a Big Bad, Mxyzptlk would push Superman to use brains over brawn, maybe even forcing an uneasy team up with Lex Luthor to outwit the imp.
While the stakes are more chaotic than apocalyptic, Gunn could raise them by showing how Mxy’s “games” spiral into world threatening consequences.
Done right, he’d deliver both comedy and heart, letting Superman prove his heroism not just in strength, but in wit, patience, and empathy.
Parasite – The Power-Draining Entity
Parasite is a Superman villain with a terrifying ability… by touch, he drains life force, knowledge, and superpowers leaving Superman weakened while Parasite grows stronger.
This makes him one of the few foes Superman can’t simply overpower, often forcing the hero to think creatively or rely on allies.
Despite decades of comic history, Parasite has never headlined a live action film, making him a fresh choice for Man of Tomorrow.
Gunn could take cues from the Superman: Man of Tomorrow animated film, where Parasite grew into a monstrous threat requiring Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Lobo to unite.
Tying him into Peacemaker’s multiverse twist is another option… Perhaps as the byproduct of a twisted Earth-X experiment gone wrong, unleashing a parasitic creature into the main DCU.
Parasite’s threat could even force Superman into an uneasy alliance with Lex Luthor.
Lex might initially see him as the perfect “Superman killer,” but when Parasite turns on Metropolis (and Lex himself), cooperation becomes survival.
Visually, Parasite offers horror tinged spectacle… imagine Superman’s powers draining mid battle as the villain swells with stolen strength.
Thematically, he strips Clark down to his core, testing his heart and ingenuity rather than just brute force. That balance of horror, spectacle, and character drama makes Parasite a uniquely compelling Big Bad for Gunn’s Superman sequel.
Honorable Mentions
General Zod
Mongol
Bizzaro Superman
Lobo
Lex Luthor… Again
