Superman: Legacy has been confirmed to mark the true start to James Gunn's new DCU, and, as such, he is set to introduce at least seven superheroes.
The reboot movie will see the Man of Steel "joining a world in which superheroes already exist." As such, Gunn has already cast several other heroes, but the extent of their roles in the movie is currently unclear.
Superman: Legacy's 7 Confirmed Superheroes Explained
Following the casting of the new Superman and five more fresh superheroes, a recent report revealed one more joining the roster before she will go on to play a "key part" in the future of the DCU and her own movie.
A full breakdown of every superhero confirmed to appear in Superman: Legacy can be seen below:
David Corenswet - Superman
Superman: Legacy will be headlined by David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, taking over the Clark Kent role from his DCEU predecessor Henry Cavill.
During the casting process, Gunn teased his search for someone with "kindness and compassion" who "you’d want to give you a hug," also noting a need to be able to mix Kal-El's human and alien attributes.
Since Corenswet was announced, Lois Lane actress Rachel Brosnahan promised "a sense of humor" in the new Superman, something which many have criticized Cavill and the DCEU for sorely lacking in its interpretation.
Superman: Legacy will be by far Corenswet's biggest role yet coming off appearances in Hollywood, The Politician, and Pearl.
Isabela Merced - Hawkgirl
One of the Justice League's longest-standing heroes, Hawkgirl, will make her big-screen debut in Superman: Legacy, played by Isabela Merced.
Her introduction follows Aldis Hodge's role as Hawkman in Black Adam, which he is not currently expected to reprise for James Gunn's new DCU.
The actress looks as though she will play the Kendra Saunders iteration of Hawkgirl, a winged and mace-wielding warrior with roots from the planet Thanagar.
Merced will soon take on her first superhero role as Anya Corazon, aka Spider-Girl, in Madame Web after screen testing for the later-scrapped Batgirl movie.
Edi Gathegi - Mister Terrific
Edi Gathegi will play Michael Holt (aka Mister Terrific) in Superman: Legacy, with the Justice League hero known for being among the smartest people in DC.
The super-genius with a talent for inventing created the T-Spheres, a set of small, floating drones that can be used in combat and for a variety of functions.
This will not be the first super-powered go-round for Gathegi, who played the mutant Darwin in X-Men: First Class, who met his demise despite supposedly being immortal.
Nathan Fillion - Green Lantern (Guy Gardner)
Nathan Fillion will reteam with James Gunn for Superman: Legacy as a classic member of the Green Lantern Corps, Guy Gardner.
The DCU has been confirmed to introduce two Green Lanterns in Lanterns, a True Detective-inspired series, with Hal Jordan and Jon Stewart. It is unclear if Fillion will reprise Guy Gardner in the Max streaming event.
Fillion previously worked with Gunn on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Suicide Squad. His biggest recent role comes on cable TV in ABC's The Rookie as John Nolan which he will continue to headline into this year's Season 6.
Anthony Carrigan - Metamorpho
Anthony Carrigan will play the Justice League hero Metamorpho in Superman: Legacy, marking the live-action debut for the lesser-known superhero.
His main superpower allows him to change his body into various elemental compounds and form them into various shapes and weapons at will.
The actor commented on his casting, saying, "Honored. Psyched. Ready. Let’s go." This followed Gunn revealing his excitement to work with Carrigan and to introduce one of his "all-time favorite characters."
Once again, this will not be Carrigan's first stab at the superhero game, as he once played the Batman villain Victor Zsasz in Fox's Gotham.
María Gabriela de Faría - The Engineer
In a further laying of the groundwork for the new DCU, Venezuelan actress María Gabriela de Faría will appear as Angela Spica, better known as The Engineer.
This member of The Authority, who will likely return for the team's DCU ensemble movie, has a liquid body due to the nanites in her bloodstream, from which she can create solid objects, augment her own body, and harness other technological abilities.
Described by some as DC's answer to The Boys, the Authority has been dubbed the "anti-Justice League" as they have been called "cynical, brutally pragmatic superheroes" who are still "basically good-intentioned."
As such, the Engineer ought to walk the line between superhero and villain in Superman: Legacy, perhaps falling more under the anti-hero umbrella.
The Venezuelan actress is best known for her lead role in Lionsgate's supernatural horror flick The Exorcism of God.
Milly Alcock- Supergirl
The latest addition to Superman: Legacy comes with an all-new Supergirl, who will take over the role from The Flash's Sasha Calle. This comes following the announcement of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow as a "science fiction adventure" movie written by Ana Nogueira and based on Tom King's comics.
The Wrap revealed House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock had landed the coveted DCU role after screen testing in Atlanta. In a post on Threads, Gunn confirmed the casting and even revealed Alcock was "the FIRST person" he had suggested to play Supergirl "well over a year ago."
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Girl of Steel and cousin of Superman will debut in Legacy before heading up Woman of Tomorrow. It should be noted that while Gunn confirmed the casting of Alcock, he clarified on Threads he "never even said" she was definitely in Legacy.
During the DCU slate reveal, via Variety, Gunn confirmed the new Supergirl was "raised on a rock, a chip off of Krypton," and spent her younger years watching everyone around her die before her arrival on Earth. This will leave her as a "much harsher and more f***ed up Supergirl" than seen before.
BONUS.) Krypto
Having recently been played by Dwayne Johnson in the DC League of Super-Pets animated flick, Krypto the Superdog has not yet been confirmed for Superman, but there have been many hints and rumors pointing that way.
Not only has Gunn seemingly revealed Krypto will appear during an interview with Toronto Sun, in which he jokingly offered the role to Chris Pratt, but he has also made many nods to the superpowered pup since taking his DC Studios job.
This comes after Gunn confirmed he once "considered Krypto at the same time [he] considered The Suicide Squad," indicating he once came close to making a project with the Superdog before opting for his 2021 R-rated epic.
In Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Kara Zor-El goes on an intergalactic adventure with Krypto, so it naturally makes sense for the Superdog to be introduced in Legacy alongside the Man and Girl of Steel before that movie comes around.
The Rest of Superman: Legacy's Cast
Moving away from superheroes, James Gunn has confirmed three more cast members for Superman: Legacy who can be seen below:
- Rachel Brosnahan - Lois Lane
- Nicholas Hoult - Lex Luthor
- Sara Sampaio - Eve Teschmacher
Sean Gunn has been cast as Maxwell Lord for the DCU, leading many to speculate he will appear in Superman: Legacy. However, whether his debut will come in the 2025 movie or be saved for a future project has yet to be confirmed.
Superman: Legacy hits theaters on July 11, 2025.
