An Arrowverse actor who appeared in a major crossover event has joined the cast of DC Studios' upcoming Superman series on Adult Swim and HBO Max. My Adventures with Superman Season 3 is set to pick up in the aftermath of the Brainiac saga from Season 2 and continues its pivot to the Reign of the Superman-inspired arc that explores themes of legacy and identity by introducing several Supermen, such as the villainous Cyborg Superman and John Irons (aka Steel). One of the interesting additions in Season 3 is Connor Kent, aka Superboy, a character that is expected to completely change the already-strong dynamic of Clark and Lois in the show.
As part of Collider's Exclusive Preview, the outlet reported that Arrowverse villain actor Darren Criss joined the voice cast of My Adventures with Superman Season 3 as Connor Kent. Alongside the report, Collider also shared the first look at the DC Studios' show's version of Superboy.
Criss had a memorable role in the Arrowverse as the Music Meister, appearing in the 2017 musical crossover between Supergirl and The Flash. In the Arrowverse, the Music Meister is a meta-human with the ability to trap people in musical dream-like realities where they must sing and dance to resolve their emotional conflicts.
Criss flexed his singing chops in the crossover by singing alongside other cast members, Carlos Valdez (Cisco Ramon) and Jeremy Jordan (Winn Schott), in one epic sequence involving "Put a Little Love on Your Heart."
The episode was one of the Arrowverse's most memorable and lighthearted crossovers, and the casting of Criss was widely praised because he was a natural fit due to his singing background and charm. This is in addition to the fact that this musical crossover highlighted the shared universe's willingness to experiment with fun, genre-bending episodes.
It's worth noting that Music Meister wasn't a traditional evil villain in the crossover. Instead, he was more of a mischievous storyteller who tricked Barry Allen and Kara Danvers into playing a part in a musical to make them self aware of their own issues with love in the real world.
Aside from portraying Music Meister in live-action, Criss also voiced Superman in DC's Tomorrowverse, meaning that this isn't the actor's first rodeo in the world of the Kryptonian hero (read more on how to watch the Tomorrowverse in order here).
Joining Criss in My Adventures with Superman Season 3 is its core trio of actors, led by The Boys star Jack Quaid, Alice Lee, and Ishmel Sahid. My Adventures with Superman Season 3 is set to premiere on Adult Swim on June 13.
How Different Is Darren Criss' Connor Kent From Past Superboy Iterations
What makes My Adventures with Superman Season 3's exploration of the Reign of the Supermen arc is the fact that these characters arrive while Clark Kent is alive and active in Metropolis. Superboy is expected to be a strong ally of Clark and Kara Zor-el as they go up against dangerous Superman-like beings.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, My Adventures with Superman showrunner Jake Wyatt confirmed that Superboy is heavily inspired by the '90s leather-jacket version of Connor Kent, but he emphasized that the newbie hero isn't just there to "push Clark's button" and he's present to "embody the tension between hope in the present and fear in the future:"
"Superboy can't just push Clark's buttons. So Superboy's been adjusted to be more relevant to all of our characters, and then he is going to embody the tension between hope in the present and fear in the future.... He was the writers' and the artists' favorite character for the season, and we're going to complicate him a bit over the course of it."
It seems that Superboy will not be an annoying newcomer to the core group f heroes because he is expected to challenge Clark's ideals while on a found-family dynamic. It all boils down to legacy and what the next generation needs to do to proudly carry the Superman mantle.
Outside of expanding the Superman family in this universe, Superboy's arrival allows the series to explore the ramifications of cloning, Lex Luthor's continued pulling the strings behind the scenes, and deeper questions of identity tied to legacy and heroism.
