After Superman got the DC Universe franchise off to a rousing start, James Gunn has been busy working on the follow-up, Man of Tomorrow. Like any comic book movie sequel, Man of Tomorrow features several returning faces from the first film and also expands the scope by introducing some key new characters. It’s already been confirmed that Brainiac is the villain who will force Superman and Lex Luthor to reluctantly work together, and he isn’t the only new addition. The rumor mill had long speculated that there would be a new major female role in Man of Tomorrow, leading fans to believe Wonder Woman could make her DCU debut. However, in typical Gunn fashion, the filmmaker is going in a much different direction.
Nothing has been officially confirmed at this point in time, but right now, signs are pointing to Maxima making an appearance in Man of Tomorrow. If this comes to pass, it would continue the tradition of Gunn bringing a relatively obscure comic book character to the mainstream, and it would also be the perfect way to pay off the biggest plot twist in Superman.
Maxima In Man of Tomorrow Pays Off the “Superman’s Harem” Line
Early on in Superman, Kal-El learns the horrifying truth behind the message his biological parents recorded for him. Rather than send him to Earth to be its protector, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van envisioned a scenario where their son would become the planet’s conqueror, dominating over the “simple” humans. They request Kal-El take on several wives to ensure his Kryptonian genes are passed down through generations. As Superman attempts to process this upsetting revelation, the Justice Gang approaches, and Guy Gardner asks if he has a secret harem.
Obviously, Superman doesn’t have a secret harem, but the inclusion of Maxima is the perfect way to pay off this line. When the character was introduced in the comics in the late ’80s, she was established as the powerful Queen of Almerac who had traveled to Earth in search of a suitable mate. Given his status as the most powerful metahuman operating in the DCU, Kal-El is of great interest to Maxima, and she considers him to be the only one deserving to be her king. Assuming Maxima is actually in Man of Tomorrow, it’s reasonable to assume Gunn is going to pull from this storyline, portraying Maxima as a secondary antagonist and romantic rival to Lois Lane (at least in the early going).
There’s potential here to depict a very entertaining dynamic that hasn’t been seen on the big screen before (Maxima has been adapted in live-action on TV shows, but never a feature film). Gunn could lean into his comedic sensibilities, staging some humorous situations where Superman is trying his best to reject Maxima’s advances. This is something that would have to be handled properly; even if Maxima’s pursuit of Superman as a partner is played more for laughs, the last thing anyone wants is for the character to be reduced to a one-note caricature whose defining trait is her obsession with mating. That would be a disappointing development since this is an opportunity to highlight Maxima to a wide audience and showcase what makes her such a fascinating figure in the DC mythos.
Fortunately, Gunn has shown in his previous works that he’s more than capable of writing compelling romantic subplots. Peter Quill’s relationship with Gamora was a key component of the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, ultimately reaching a poignant conclusion. Gunn also put a fresh spin on the Clark Kent/Lois Lane dynamic in Superman, injecting a fair amount of depth into that pairing (Lois was not merely a damsel in distress for Superman to save). So, it’s safe to say that if anyone can make Maxima work on screen, it’s Gunn. He likely has some great ideas of how to utilize the character, and if the source material is anything to go by, this will only be the beginning for Maxima in the DCU.
Maxima Can Be More Than Just a Superman Love Interest in the DCU
Including Maxima in Man of Tomorrow could help set the stage for a larger role in the DCU down the line. Right now, the general belief is that she begins Man of Tomorrow as an antagonistic threat before having a change of heart later on. This would imply Gunn is adapting elements of the “Panic in the Sky” comic book storyline, which featured Maxima as an unwilling ally of Brainiac. In the comics, Brainiac destroys Maxima’s home planet of Almerac and makes her one of his slaves. Since Brainiac is already confirmed to be in Man of Tomorrow, it’s easy for viewers to put 2 and 2 together and predict where the narrative is heading.
A redemption arc for Maxima could open the path for the character becoming a member of the DCU’s eventual Justice League. According to Gunn, the team is not active yet in the DCU, but it’s only a matter of time before it’s brought into the fold. In the shared universe’s early going, Gunn and Co. are smartly being patient, taking their time before introducing characters like Batman and Wonder Woman. But while each DCU project is designed to work on its own with minimal “homework” required, there are always opportunities to lay the groundwork for what’s to come. If Superman and Maxima are seeing eye to eye by the end of Man of Tomorrow, they could recognize the benefits of fighting alongside each other.
Should Man of Tomorrow go this route, there’s precedent for it in the comics. Over decades of publication history, Maxima has been part of the Justice League and other teams such as Justice League International. It wouldn’t be out of the question for Gunn to utilize Maxima as a member of the DCU’s version of the iconic team. In all likelihood, the DCU will want to differentiate from the DC Extended Universe in some capacity. The trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are all but a given for the roster (Gunn has said the latter two are very important for DC Studios), so one way to mix things up would be giving lesser-known characters like Maxima time in the spotlight.
It’ll be interesting to see how Maxima’s role in Man of Tomorrow unfolds (again, assuming she actually is in the movie). Depending on how things go, Gunn could go in a very different direction and make Maxima part of a group of villains (in the comics, she was part of the Superman Revenge Squad). Whether she follows a heroic path or one of villainy, she could be so much more than just the pay off to a joke from the first movie.
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