DCU Zeroes In on Three New Maxima Favorites After James Gunn’s Reported Exit

For anyone trying to keep up with James Gunn and DC's casting rumors, you know it can feel like following a game of whack-a-mole. No sooner does one batch of names hit the internet, Gunn is already tossing cold water on them. And now, Maxima — the alien queen who occasionally tries to romance Superman — is at the center of the latest round of ‘who’s really in the running’ for Gunn’s next Superman flick, Man of Tomorrow.

Who's Maxima and Why Is She Suddenly a Big Deal?

If you’re not buried deep in comic lore, here’s the crash course: Maxima first showed up in Action Comics #645 back in 1989, thanks to Roger Stern and George Pérez. She’s a powerful alien queen, sometimes a villain, sometimes a potential love interest, always a wild card. While she’s not the first name fans yell when you ask for their favorite Superman characters, she’s certainly got enough power (and the complicated relationship history) to make things interesting in a movie.

The List (Wait, Which List?)

So this week, The Hollywood Reporter dropped a new list of actresses who have reportedly just screen tested for the Maxima role in Atlanta — which is where Gunn and crew are getting Man of Tomorrow off the ground. Here’s who’s left in the race, for now:

• Adria Arjona – She’s already worked with Gunn before in The Belko Experiment, and she turned heads on Andor. (But hang on, there’s a twist with her.)
• Eva De Dominici – You might know her from The Cleaning Lady or see her soon in the upcoming comedy Balls Up.
• Sydney Chandler – Recently fronted the FX series Alien: Earth.
• Grace Van Patten – Led The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.

Wait, Didn’t We Already Hear Some of These Names?

This is where things get a little messy. Earlier, Deadline ran with a totally different trio: Marisa Abela, Adria Arjona (yup, again), and Ella Purnell. Gunn, who doesn’t let a rumor live long if he can help it, took to Threads and called that report 'shoddy and incorrect.' Direct quote from him, just for the flavor:

'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.'

So, right after Arjona’s name was dropped from one list, she’s apparently back for another round, according to THR. As for whether she’s actually in Atlanta now, screen testing for Gunn, well — let’s just say the ‘official denial’ cycle may not be done yet.

Is Maxima Even In the Movie?

Here’s the wild card: Gunn is reportedly iffy on whether Maxima will even make the cut for Man of Tomorrow. He’s not confirmed she’ll actually be there when the movie hits theaters. So all this casting commotion could end up being moot — classic superhero movie rumor circus.

The Rest of the Movie (and the Release Date)

Just to recap, Man of Tomorrow brings David Corenswet back as Superman, and Nicholas Hoult takes on Lex Luthor. Gunn is directing, and they’re shooting for a release July 9, 2027 — which, yes, feels like forever from now.

As for DC Studios, they aren’t saying anything (never a shocker). Stay tuned for Gunn’s next post, where he may or may not tell us these names are 'bullshit' too.