James Gunn promises Superman: Legacy 'revolves around Superman and Lois' as more DC heroes join cast

As several prominent DC Comics characters begin to populate the cast of Superman: Legacy, writer/director/DC Studios co-head James Gunn has taken to social media to assure fans the movie will still very much be about Superman and Lois Lane.

Following the announcement that Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, and Edi Gathegi would each be playing DC superheroes in the film, Gunn penned a reply on Instagram's Threads platform. "I've never used one movie to set up another movie," he wrote. "The characters are there because they help tell Superman's story better, not so we can set up separate projects in the franchise. Superman and Lois are the very clear protagonists."

Fillion will be playing Guy Gardner, one of the characters known as Green Lantern, while Merced and Gathegi will be playing Hawkgirl and Mister Terrific, respectively. Following Gunn's statements, EW can confirm that Barry star Anthony Carrigan will be playing the character Metamorpho, a.k.a. Rex Mason, a figure with the ability to change his body into any element. (Think more periodic table of elements.)

The Hollywood Reporter was the first to report Carrigan's casting. The actor is no stranger to the world of DC Comics, having playing Victor Zsasz on FOX series Gotham and Kyle Nimbus/The Mist on The CW's The Flash.

"I am unbelievably excited for Metamorpho (and this opportunity to work with Anthony Carrigan)," Gunn wrote on Twitter.

Critics have dinged superhero projects in the past for cramming too many heroes and villains into a single story, often in service of future sequels or spin-offs. Gunn himself has said filmmakers have gotten "really lazy" when it comes to superhero storytelling.

"They have gotten to the place where, 'Oh, it's a superhero, let's make a movie about it,'" he told actor Michael Rosenbaum on the Inside of You podcast. "And then, 'Oh, let's make a sequel, because the first one did pretty well,' and they aren't thinking about, 'Why is this story special? What makes this story stand apart from other stories? What is the story at the heart of it all? Why is this character important? What makes this story different that it fills a need for people in theaters to go see?'"

In light of the recent Superman: Legacy casting, Gunn clarified on Threads that the new characters "fit the story I'm telling. Story always comes first." He added, "The primary story most definitely revolves around Superman and Lois."

David Corenswet (Hollywood) will star as Superman in Superman: Legacy, opposite The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan as The Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane. The film will follow a younger Kal-El as he reconciles his Kryptonian heritage with his human life as Clark Kent from Smallville, Kan. Gunn has previously referred to Superman: Legacy as "the true foundation of our creative vision for the DC Universe."

The movie is scheduled to start filming at the top of next year for a planned release on July 11, 2025.

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

Related content:

• Superman: Legacy will introduce Nathan Fillion's Green Lantern and more DC heroes
• Superman: Legacy finds Hollywood's new Man of Steel in David Corenswet with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane
• Who is David Corenswet? Meet the new Superman for James Gunn's DC Universe