Lars Eidinger will play Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow.

The German actor has been cast as the android - who hails from the planet Colu and is determined to college all the knowledge in the universe - in James Gunn's upcoming Superman movie.

Gunn wrote on Instagram: "In our worldwide search for Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow, Lars Eidinger rose to the top. Welcome to the DCU, Lars."

Brainiac is a popular villain in the Superman comics but has never appeared on the big screen before. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, and frequently shrinks the Man of Steel's home planet of Krypton.

Few plot details about Man of Tomorrow are known beyond the fact Superman (David Corenswet) and Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor) have to team up against a new threat to the galaxy, which is now likely to be Brainiac.

And Frank Grillo recently teased his character Rick Flag Sr. - a US Army General who appeared in this year's Superman - will be heavily involved in the film.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, he said: "My character, Rick Flag Sr., is a big part of the sequel's story, so I'm excited about it."

Gunn had said the movie will not be a direct sequel to Superman.

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, the 59-year-old filmmaker said: "It is a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat.

"And it's more complicated than that. It's as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie. I relate to the character of Lex, sadly."

As well as the story, the Guardians of the Galaxy director revealed Man of Tomorrow would enter production in April 2026 ahead of its July 2027 release.

He said: "That was at the beginning when I took on DC and I promised myself I'm slowing down at least a tiny bit.

"Although I am creating the Superman sequel that we're starting to shoot in April or so. I'm done writing that for the most part."

The Peacemaker creator added Man of Tomorrow has been an idea he has "had for a long time".

Reflecting on the wider DCU, Gunn said he was planning to tell "one big story" through his superhero films, though insisted each entry would also be able to stand on its own two feet.

He explained: "It's a part of the plan of the DCU. There is one big story.

"On the one hand, everything is gonna be okay to watch by itself, but also there's a bigger story being told that involves, say, Salvation.

"And so that story involves Rick Flag, it involves Lex and Superman. So there's those movies that I'm gonna be directing.

"That's the plan right now, at least. I may get so f****** tired that I can't do it, because I'm pretty tired. But we'll see. But there's a plan that I'm gonna do. You know, it's a couple more, at least."

Gunn also admitted it was "challenging" to work on projects that he himself did not direct, such as Clayface, Supergirl and The Batman: Part II.

He said: "I am by nature a writer and director, but that's my experience as being a writer and director.

"I've produced things, but it doesn't come as naturally to me. It doesn't feel like it does. And so that is trying to be the best producer I can. That's something that, for me, it's just a personal challenge.

"I'm focused on being the best producer and supporting those creators the best I can to help tell good stories, really. I'm beholden to the story in those things as much as I am to the story in my own stuff.

"So my central concern is the same, whether it's a movie I'm directing or something else."