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In an interview with Daniel Merrifield of The Movie Dweeb, Iwuji was asked if he could see himself playing Brainiac in Man of Tomorrow. After initially responding with a simple “No,” the actor clarified what he meant with a bit of humor at the end. “Could I see myself doing it? If James picked up the phone and called me, absolutely,” he said. “Is it a cool role? You’re like the 12th person that’s mentioned it. So, I obviously went online and looked and went, ‘Oh, wow. This guy is cool.’ So, could I see myself if I had the opportunity? I’d jump at it. The ‘no’ I said is just to let everyone know James hasn’t … This isn’t me lying to you. I’m so sorry I lied to you but I had to. I was under contract. They’d have arrested me, deported me … But this is not lying to you at all. There’s absolutely no links whatsoever to Brainiac. And I’m not lying. Okay?”
Here’s the full interview:
Could Chukwudi Iwuji Portray the DCU’s Brainiac?
Iwuji, of course, played Clemson Murn in Peacemaker Season 1. At first glance, this would seemingly prevent him from taking on a different DC role, though that might not be the case. While the character of Murn is canon to the DCU, Gunn has said on Peacemaker: The Official Podcast that Murn’s physical appearance may not be. That distinction (remember, Peacemaker Season 1 takes place in the DC Extended Universe) could open a path for Iwuji to play a different character in the DCU. There’s already a precedent for this; Michael Rooker previously played Savant in The Suicide Squad and then played eagle hunter Red St. Wild in Peacemaker Season 2. Events from The Suicide Squad are DCU canon, meaning there was likely a version of Savant in that timeline, but he could have looked differently from Rooker’s iteration.
Another thing working in Iwuji’s favor is Gunn’s penchant for frequently collaborating with the same actors. For instance, multiple Guardians of the Galaxy stars appeared in Superman, so it’s clear Gunn enjoys working with people he has a history with. Iwuji certainly falls into that category, having previously portrayed the villainous High Evolutionary in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. That performance earned a lot of praise, with the character ranking as one of the best Marvel Cinematic Universe villains. Iwuji has already proven he’s more than capable of delivering a sinister, chilling turn as a highly intelligent antagonist, so he’d be a strong fit for a role like Brainiac.
