Isabela Merced Cast as Hawkgirl in Superman Movie Reboot

Superman: Legacy has found its Hawkgirl. Isabel Merced, known for playing the titular character in 2019's Dora and the Lost City of Gold, has been tapped to play Hawkgirl, one of DC's oldest superheroes who first appeared in 1940, in James Gun's upcoming live-action reboot.

Merced is no stranger to the big screen. The actress rose to prominence as a child actor in Nickelodeon's 100 Things to Do Before High School before going on to appear in a number of films. Her acting credits include Transformers: The Last Knight, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and Dora and the Lost City of Gold. Her upcoming projects include Sony's Madame Web, Alien: Romulus, Ballerina Overdrive, and Hannah Marks' Turtles All the Way Down. In Superman: Legacy, Merced will take on the role of Hawkgirl, who first appeared in the 1940s. Over the decades, there have been several iterations of the character, but all are known for using melee weapons-swords, spears, and maces. Reacting to her role in the film, the actress wrote on Instagram alongside an image of the comic book character, "[James Gunn] gave me the best birthday gift."

Merced's casting in Superman: Legacy was confirmed Monday by Vanity Fair alongside two other casting announcements. X-Men: First Class Edi Gathegi will star as Mister Terrific, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 star Nathan Fillion set to play Guy Gardner, one of the figures known as Green Lantern. They join a cast that also includes David Corensweand Rachel Brosnahan as Clark Kent (aka Superman) and his love interest Lois Lane.

The upcoming movie "will focus "on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way. He is kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old-fashioned," producer and DC co-chief Peter Safran said at a press presentation of the new DC Studios slate in January. The movie will set up the new DC Universe that Gunn is creating with Safran, the pair previously describing Superman: Legacy as the true beginning of their continuity, the "DCU." Gunn announced in April that the movie had entered pre-production. Filming is set to begin in January 2024, with Superman: Legacy scheduled to debut on July 11, 2025. It will be followed by Matt Reeves' The Batman Part II on October 3, 2025, with other films set to follow including The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, and Swamp Thing.