Isabela Merced recently played Anya Corazon in Sony Pictures' Madame Web, but after the movie's dismal box office performance, a sequel is highly unlikely. Even if Merced does get the chance to return as Spider-Girl in the SSU, she's going to be busy taking flight in a different comic book movie universe.
Merced will play Kendra Saunders, aka Hawkgirl, in James Gunn's Superman, and spoke about her love for the character during an interview with Collider.
"I was a DC kid growing up. We had the action figures, and most of them were so old and used that the paint had come off... But I really adored Hawkgirl. I had Hawkgirl and Hawkman as part of my collection. Well, technically it wasn’t mine. It was my siblings and I’s collection. We had Hot Wheels too. We just had a really fun, enjoyable childhood with those. So, this is a full circle moment."
Merced went on to say that she will be "honored" to be the first actor to play Hawkgirl on the big screen, and joked that she's looking forward to people shouting the hero's name at her on the street because it sounds like "hot girl."
"I would be honored for people to see me on the street and just be like, 'Hawkgirl!' They don’t need to know my name. I’d be honored because, you know what? It also sounds like, 'Hot girl!,' and I’m okay with people calling me a hot girl. I’m good. Continue. Same as I was honored by Dora. Because these characters mean so much to other people, I’m just happy that I could potentially hold a special place in their heart. I don’t care what it’s for or what I’ve done. As long as it means something to them, I’m very excited about that."
Merced will join David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.
Sara Sampaio will also appear as Lex's assistant/lover Eve Teschmacher, and Skyler Gisondo has been cast as Jimmy Olsen. Milly Alcock's Supergirl is rumored to make her debut ahead of her own Woman of Tomorrow movie, but that's yet to be confirmed.
Exactly how these other superheroes will factor into the story remains to be seen, but Gunn has previously revealed that Superman's dual-life as both Clark Kent and the Man of Steel will be explored in the film, suggesting that these characters will be his "super friends." Whether they'll be part of an actual team or not remains to be seen.
“Overjoyed to be announcing the start of principal photography on SUPERMAN today, February 29, which just so happens to be – coincidentally and unplanned – Superman’s birthday,” Gunn captioned the first official photo earlier this year. “When I finished the first draft of the script, I called the film ‘Superman: Legacy.’ By the time I locked the final draft, it was clear the title was SUPERMAN,” he added. “Making our way to you July 2025.”
Filming had been taking place in Svalbard, Norway, but is believed to have moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Superman is set to fly into theaters on July 11, 2025.