It looks like James Gunn is getting testy about people spreading false reports on Superman: Man of Tomorrow casting!
Superman: Man of Tomorrow is in production, and expectations are high for the sequel to James Gunn’s 2025 hit that kicked off a new DC Universe franchise. It’s set to pit Superman (David Corenswet) against the alien monster Brainiac (Lars Eidinger). That will force Superman to team up with his foe, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult).
The rest of the cast of the first film is expected back with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, and Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, while Aaron Pierre will pop in as his Lanterns character, John Stewart.
With filming gearing up, Deadline had reported a major casting in noting that Marisa Abela, Adria Arjona, and Ella Purnell had all reportedly tested for a key female character in the sequel. According to reports, the trio were up for the role of Maxima, the super-strong telepathic queen of an alien world who comes to Earth seeking Superman as her mate.
The character has been popular in the comics for some time and would be a good fit for the film. However, as soon as the story began making the rounds, Gunn put out a statement on his Threads page denouncing it and stating that he’s never even met two of the actresses in question.
“Deadline's reporting is shoddy & incorrect. I've always thought Deadline was pretty thorough in their journalism, but that's not the case here so I'm frankly disappointed. If someone would have run these names by us we would have said it's bullshit. I've been friends with Adria a long time since I cast her in the Belko Experiment. I'm a fan of both Marisa and Ella but I've never met either of them. Crazy.”
Following Gunn's statements, Deadline responded by updating the story with a disclaimer that read: "Deadline went through its normal editorial process in the newsgathering for today’s Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow casting story. After a review in light of new information regarding the actors involved, the story is being updated."
This isn’t the first time Gunn has had to refute such claims. When he began following Arjona on Instagram, fans leaped to the conclusion that he wanted her to play Wonder Woman. Gunn clarified that while he agreed Arjona would be great for the role, he had no plans to introduce Wonder Woman just yet. That hasn't stopped some fans from speculating that Man of Tomorrow will have Wonder Woman and Maxima is a cover for the role.
It’s possible that Maxima is a character in the sequel, as in the comics, she was forced to work with Brainiac to protect her homeworld of Almerac. That would fit this movie’s plotline as well. So it’s logical there are actresses reading for the role, although it’s strange Deadline would pick those three specific ladies without checking if they’ve actually met Gunn.
Each actress would fit the role of Maxima. Purnell is the most high-profile, starring in the Prime Video hit Fallout, so she’s used to action and special effects work. Abela is best known for the HBO drama Industry and will be in the upcoming Highlander reboot. Arjona is loved for her turn in Andor and comic book experience with Morbius. It’s little wonder that each could be targeted for Maxima.
For now, this all seems to be rumors that got out of hand, as Gunn isn’t denying Maxima is in the film, just not that those three ladies are being considered for the role. Meaning whoever gets the part may have been Gunn’s choice from the start.