Henry Cavillmay no longer beSuperman, but there are still things I would have loved to see from his version of the hero, such as the Brainiac sequel that was teased by Zack Snyder. Henry Cavill debuted as Superman in Man of Steel over a decade ago in 2013. His performance and the way that he embodied the character was electric, and immediately gained favor with fans of the character due to his striking resemblance to the hero, his powerful physique, and his stance as a comic book lover himself.
Cavill has various passions that have dictated and directed his career, leading to his starring role inThe Witcher, and the upcomingWarhammermovies. However, so far, these roles haven’t always panned out as expected. For instance, despite being the premiere hero of the DCEU,Cavill only ended up appearing in a handful of films, and when it seemed like he would have a major return afterBlack Adam, the DCEU was retired. Despite this, there were plans laid out for what to do with Cavill’s Superman, withZack Snyder mentioning plans to pit the Man of Steel against the evil genius Brainiac.
Henry Cavill’s Favorite DC Villain Being Brainiac Makes The Unused Plans For The Character Sadder
Henry Cavill Almost Shared The Screen With His Dream Villain
Henry Cavill’s passion for comics led to him being an avid fan of the superheros way before appearing as Superman himself. It also meant he had an understanding of the character’s journey, and some of the toughest foes he ever faced. With that in mind, an interviewer who sat down with Cavill during the press tour for theJustice Leaguemovie took the opportunity to ask Cavill about his favorite comic book villain, and Cavill had plenty to say. After listing some top villains,Cavill settled on Brainiac as his favorite, which stings, because Snyder’sMan of Steel 2plans included Brainiac as the villain.
With Cavill’s passion for the hero he had the opportunity to play, and his love of the upcoming villain, itcould have been one of the best and most authentic adaptationsof any superhero movie. Cavill would likely be vocal about wanting to make the villain as close to the source material as possible, and in that way, it could have been an entirelydifferent version of Brainiacfrom anything that has appeared on the screen before. However, with the DCU now standing firmly on the grave of the DCEU, it appears that this will likely never happen, or at least not with Cavill.
Brainiac Is One Of DC’s Most Underused Live-Action Villains
DC Has Put Far More Energy Into Adapting Other Villains
Brainiac is a powerful, terrifying alien who often stands out as one of the most capable contenders for Superman. While villains like Lex Luthor are human, Zod is a rogue Kryptonian, and others vary, Brainiac is often presented as a hyper-intelligent cyborg or android. They also frequently possess organic matter in addition to the augmented parts, but the result is a being who travels the galaxy, collecting intelligence by shrinking down entire cities and wiping out planets. In several comic book stories,he is the one responsible for destroying Krypton.
Brainiac is a powerful, terrifying alien who often stands out as one of the most capable contenders for Superman.
However, when it comes to live-action versions of the character, they are always diluted and altered in nearly unrecognizable ways. In the Arrowverse show,Supergirl, Brainiac was a genius alien, but he was ultimately one of the good guys. InSmallville,James Marsters played the characteras a Kryptonian AI that was ultimately underwhelming, and across the board, the character has yet to get a good live-action adaptation that closely follows the comic book origins. And personally, I find that incredibly disappointing, considering theimmense potential the character has to be one of the most formidable villains from DC.
DC’s Future Sets Up The Best Chance For Brainiac’s Live-Action Movie Future
The DCU Could Set The Stage For The Perfect Brainiac Adaptation
However, with theDCU preparing to create an expansive and rich superhero universeof films and shows, there is still hope for the future of Brainiac on the big screen. James Gunn has already done a lot with his first DCU entry,Creature Commandos, where he has introduced a variety of characters to the impending universe, and following the release of theSupermantrailer, over a dozen more heroes and villains have been confirmed to appear. Gunn is rapidly establishing the wide reach of the DCU.
Superman’s Movie Trailer Just Broke An 18-Year-Old DC Film Record I’m Glad To See End
The first trailer for 2025’s Superman confirms that a surprising 18-year-old DC movie trend will finally be broken in the highly-anticipated reboot.
With this in mind, it’s likely that Gunn will introduce a character like Brainiac at some point. The initialSupermanmovie will feature Lex Luthor as the primary villain, but it also does a lot to establish the reality of a world full of heroes and villains. And with Superman’s powers making him an appealing target to villains who want to test their mettle, it feels inevitable that Brainiac will eventually appear in the DCU. But, it’s an incredible shame that Cavill’sSupermanwon’t get his chance to shine in this battle, despite his personal connection to the villain.
