‘Superman’ sequel: James Gunn’s search for Maxima narrowed to Adria Arjona, Eve DeDominici, Sydney Chandler, and Grace Van Patten
According to the CinemaDrame news agency, James Gunn’s plan to expand the cast of the Superman sequel titled “Man of Tomorrow” continues: the co-head of DC Studios is currently selecting an actress for the role of Maxima — an alien queen who is known both as an anti-hero and a potential love interest for Superman.
Sources have confirmed to Variety that the finalists for the highly sought-after role are Adria Arjona (“Andor”), Eve DeDominici (“The Cleaning Lady”), Sydney Chandler (“Alien: Earth”), and Grace Van Patten (“Tell Me Lies”). The actresses have already auditioned, and a final decision is expected soon, as filming begins in Atlanta late next week.
“Superman: Man of Tomorrow”, written and directed by James Gunn, is scheduled for release on July 9, 2027. David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult will return as Superman and Lex Luthor, respectively. However, this time the iconic rivals are forced to work together against a greater threat: the hyper-intelligent antagonist Brainiac, played by German star Lars Eidinger.
Aaron Pierre has also joined the cast, which already includes Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), Skyler Gisondo (Jimmy Olsen), Sara Sampaio (Eve Teschmacher), Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Nathan Fillion (Guy Gardner), and Edi Gathegi (Mister Terrific).
However, Pierre will first appear in the HBO series “Lanterns” as John Stewart / Green Lantern — a series that interestingly is being produced around the same time as the project involving his real-life father, Kyle Chandler.
Last summer, Gunn and Peter Safran launched the new DC Universe with a reimagined Superman and Clark Kent, in a thrilling yet emotional adventure that ultimately grossed $618 million worldwide. “Man of Tomorrow” takes place after the events of “Supergirl”, starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin, which hits theaters on June 26. Corenswet also appears in a brief role.
Arjona’s name has previously circulated among DC fans. Reports had even linked her as a potential Wonder Woman, though Gunn dismissed those rumors.
He told Extra: “I follow Adria on Instagram, but people assumed that meant she was Wonder Woman. She could have been a great Wonder Woman… I’ve known her since 2016 and Project Belko. I’ve been following her since then, not recently.”
Arjona is already familiar to genre fans for her standout role in the Star Wars series “Andor”. She has also shown her comedic range in Netflix’s “Hit Man” and Neon’s “Splitsville”. She is set to star in a remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair” alongside Michael B. Jordan for Amazon MGM Studios. She is represented by CAA, Anonymous Content, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and Goodman Genow.
Eve DeDominici has appeared in Fox’s drama “The Cleaning Lady” and will feature in Peter Farrelly’s upcoming comedy “Balls Up”, releasing April 15 on Prime Video. She is represented by Gersh, Twelve Entertainment, Untitled Entertainment, and Hansen Jacobson.
Sydney Chandler leads FX’s “Alien: Earth”, playing a synthetic humanoid named Wendy. The series is created by Noah Hawley (“Fargo”), with a second season already in development. She is represented by UTA and Jackoway Austen.
Grace Van Patten is best known for Hulu’s “Tell Me Lies” and portrayed Amanda Knox in “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox”. She is represented by WME, Brookside Artist Management, and Sloane Offer.
The Hollywood Reporter was the first outlet to report the shortlist.
