Who is Maxima? Everything You Need to Know About Lois Lane’s New “Rival” in Man of Tomorrow

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James Gunn is continuing to develop the DC Universe by moving forward with Man of Tomorrow, the sequel to his Superman reboot, planned for release in 2027. The film will bring back David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, alongside Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. The story will focus on an unlikely team-up between Superman and Lex Luthor, brought about by the arrival of the powerful villain Brainiac, played by Lars Eidinger. While still in early stages of production, the movie will also feature the DC character Maxima.

Maxima first appeared in DC’s Action Comics #645 in 1989, created by Roger Stern and George Pérez. As the queen of the planet Almerac, she firmly believes in improving her royal family’s genetics and travels the universe seeking a powerful mate. She comes to Earth believing Superman, the last Kryptonian, is the only one genetically suitable to produce an heir to her throne. This goal creates conflict with Lois Lane, whom Maxima views as an obstacle to her plans. Considering Lois’s important role in Superman—often rescuing him and battling villains like Lex Luthor—it’s expected that Man of Tomorrow will bring Maxima and Lois into direct conflict.

Maxima Has a Long History with Superman in DC Comics

Maxima’s story is a decades-long tale of passion and eventual change, frequently centered around her initial rejection by Superman. When she first came to Metropolis, she boldly requested Superman to be her husband, but Clark Kent refused, recognizing that her beliefs clashed with his strong sense of right and wrong. This conflict between her royal upbringing and Superman’s values shaped her early years as a powerful enemy, leading to several dangerous encounters where she tried to force Superman to marry her.

Maxima underwent a major change during the 1992 storyline “Panic in the Sky,” which heavily influenced the story in Man of Tomorrow. Initially, she was forced to help Brainiac invade Earth after he took over her home planet. But her strong sense of honor eventually led her to turn against him, and she joined a group of heroes to protect Earth. This shift led to a surprising period where Maxima acted as a hero, even joining the Justice League. While on the team, writers explored the challenges faced by an alien queen trying to adapt to human social rules and the idea of working as equals. Although she remained proud and somewhat arrogant, she proved to be a valuable fighter against powerful enemies, even though she never stopped being obsessed with Superman’s genetic code.

DC Comics reintroduced Maxima in the 2025 special, Superman Treasury 2025: Hero for All, written by Dan Jurgens and illustrated by Bruno Redondo. The story reimagined her as a major threat, showing her leading an invasion of Earth. This new version of Maxima is driven by bitterness over Superman’s marriage to Lois Lane and the birth of their son, Jon Kent. She teamed up with the Cyborg Superman, showing she’s willing to destroy Superman’s life because she feels genetically offended. This powerful portrayal sets the stage for her live-action debut in the DC Universe, establishing her as a character who could be either a powerful ally or a devastating enemy.

Man of Tomorrow is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 9, 2027.

Will Maxima be a helpful ally or a formidable foe for Superman in the new movie? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-22 00:43