UPDATE! ‘Superman: Legacy’ Cast Expands With Nathan Fillion, Edi Gathegi, Isabela Merced, and Anthony Carrigan as DC Superheroes
The cast of writer-director James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy is rapidly expanding with Nathan Fillion, Edi Gathegi, and Isabela Merced signed up to play three superheroes making their live-action cinematic debut.
Ahead of the possibility of the SAG-AFTRA strike, Vanity Fair broke the news that Fillion, Gathegi, and Merced have been hired to play Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), Mister Terrific, and Hawkgirl in Superman: Legacy. Fillion is a regular collaborator with James Gunn, appearing in the first and third Guardians of the Galaxy movies (and having a cameo cut from the second) and The Suicide Squad. Gathegi previously played the ill-fated Mutant superhero Darwin in X-Men: First Class. Isabela Merced’s sole superhero credit prior to Superman: Legacy is the upcoming Madame Web. They will be joining David Corenswet as Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.
All three of these new characters are associated with the Justice League:
- Green Lantern’s power set involves the ability to create constructs of whatever he can think of by channeling his willpower into a power ring. Guy Gardner is not who people typically think of when they think of Green Lantern – that’s usually reserved for the likes of Hal Jordan and John Stewart, both of whom are set to star in the Max series Lanterns. Nonetheless, he was the back-up choice to replace Abin-Sur when the dying Green Lantern handed his power ring over to Jordan, and circumstances eventually lined up for the boisterous Gardner to become a Green Lantern himself.
- Mister Terrific, also known as Michael Holt, is one of the smartest men on the planet and one of its best athletes. While he possesses no superpowers of his own, Mister Terrific has mastery over technology and uses his genius to create technology to assist him, mostly in the form of T-Spheres, personal satellites that can allow him to do just about anything with the right application. Mister Terrific also has ties to the Justice Society, who were introduced on film in last year’s Black Adam – and even though that film will not be canon to the DCU, it is possible that some cast members from that film could carry over into the DCU, as James Gunn has teased.
- Hawkgirl is a member of a humanoid alien species known as the Thanagarians, who possess massive bird-like wings. In addition to having flight, she has superhuman strength, which she also uses to handle weapons made of the mysterious Nth Metal. She has ties to Hawkman, who was introduced on the big screen in the aforementioned Black Adam, though it’s not clear if that iteration will carry over into the rebooted DC Universe. It is not clear which version of Hawkgirl will be depicted, as there are several iterations of the character, including Shiera Sanders, Sharon Parker, Shayera Thal, or Kendra Saunders.
The movie is set in an established DC Universe, skipping the origins of the Man of Steel and instead being set relatively early on in his career after he’s saved Metropolis a few times. Aside from the current cast of characters, it is known that James Gunn is casting for Jimmy Olsen, Lex Luthor (who is reportedly not the main villain of the film – with Brainiac rumored to be the primary antagonist instead), and several other characters close to Superman himself. Gunn hinted at the possibility of Krypto the Super-Dog having a role in the film. It is also indicated that some members of the Authority may be appearing ahead of their planned spin-off movie.
UPDATE!
More casting news arrives as Barry actor Anthony Carrigan has joined the ensemble, portraying the superhero Metamorpho. Originally an archaeologist, Rex Mason was sent on a dangerous assignment secretly meant to kill him, but he was exposed to an alien meteorite that transformed him into a superhero who can shapeshift and utilize the power of the elements. He can also shift his body like rubber or plastic, is resistant to physical damage, and change the chemical compositions of various compounds. Interestingly, both Metamorpho and Mister Terrific are both members of the Terrifics, a newer DC team that serves as a pastiche of the Fantastic Four.
A number of fans had questions about the large ensemble in what was initially announced as a Superman reboot. Writer-director James Gunn has chimed in via Threads, stating that even though the DC Universe that he is building will utilize a number of superheroes established in this world, the focus of the film will be on Superman and Lois Lane:
Superman: Legacy is set to release on July 11, 2025.
Grant Davis is a freelance writer who has covered entertainment news for more than seven years. His articles have frequently appeared in Star Wars News Net as well as as other entertainment-related websites. As someone who grew up on Star Wars and comic book movies, he’s completely thrilled with the current era of genre entertainment.
