“Superman: Legacy” received a few casting before the SAG-AFTRA strike began which laid a great foundation for what fans can expect from this film.
Co-Leads
The first and easily most important was Clark Kent/Superman himself being played by David Corenswet. This was a dream casting for many fans including myself. After viewing David in a few roles and seeing his lighthearted charm, it is evident he will nail the role of the Man of Steel. We cannot wait to see how he holds the foundation for this DCU and how he debuts in “Superman: Legacy”.
Next up is the co-lead of Lois Lane being portrayed by Rachel Brosnahan who is best known for her lead role in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”. Brosnahan was interviewed by “The View” before being officially cast. Although she denied her involvement at the time, she did express her extreme interest in playing the character and how it would be an honor to take on the iconic role. Rachel Brosnahan appears to be the perfect choice to play the spunky star reporter and carry this film with David.
More Heroes
Next three castings were revealed by Vanity Fair and revealed some other established heroes in this new DCU.
The first is Isabela Merced portraying Hawkgirl. It is unclear if Merced portrayal will be of Kendra Saunders or Shayera Hol as it is a legacy name. As a fan of Merced’s other work, I am pleased she is getting a bigger spotlight and joining the DCU.
The second is Edi Gathegi who will be Mister Terrific. Gathegi is best known for his role as Darwin and in “X-Men: First Class” and his extremely ironic character death. James Gunn initially teased this character joining his DCU via social media so we are glad to see an official confirmation of his role in the DCU.
The final to come from Vanity Fair was Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner. Fillion has been a long time friend of James Gunn and filmed scenes for all of his recent films so it is no surprise he has a role in “Superman: Legacy”. This could also be an indicator that we see Fillion reprise his role in the upcoming “Lanterns” series along with Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart.
The Terrifics?
The following day The Hollywood Reporter revealed one more addition to the cast only two days before the SAG-AFTRA strike began. THR revealed that Anthony Carrigan would be portraying Rex Mason better known as Metamorpho. The reveal that Metamorpho would be in the film alongside Mister Terrific made comic book fans begin to speculate about Gunn setting up a specific superhero team.
James Gunn posted an image to his social media not too long ago showing off the superhero team, The Terrifics, surrounded by other DC heroes already confirmed to be joining the DCU. The Terrifics core members include Mister Terrific, Metamorpho, Phantom Girl, and Plastic Man. James Gunn has a knack for adapting obscure characters and it is very possible he’s planning to do the same with this group.
Next Steps
Since the WGA strike recently concluded and SAG-AFTRA strike continues little has been confirmed about “Superman: Legacy”. It is safe to assume that once the SAG-AFTRA strike concludes, that more castings for the film will be revealed including that of Jimmy Olsen, Perry White and possibly Lex Luthor or another villain. It is highly rumored that Jimmy Olsen would be portrayed by Skyler Gisondo as Gunn recently followed him on social media and he looks the part. James Gunn also confirmed he is working on other parts of the film while the strikes were ongoing including costume design, location scouting, VFX, and the many other responsibilities of a director.
Final Thoughts
Expectations for “Superman: Legacy” are very high because of its importance in this new DCU’s foundation. However, all these updates regarding casting and worldbuilding give us hope that the film will deliver and exceed those expectations. I for one cannot wait to see David Corenswet suit up as Superman and stand alongside Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane under James Gunn’s direction. “Superman: Legacy” is slated to release on July 11, 2025.
