Isabela Merced's Superman: Legacy Tease Disappeared - But It Could Be Huge

Things seem to be ramping up on "Superman: Legacy," with director James Gunn posting a cast photo to Instagram and noting that the picture was taken after a table read.  All of the main actors who have been announced so far made an appearance in the post, including Nicolas Hoult with a freshly shaved head, clearly gearing up for his role as Lex Luthor. And everyone looks excited to be part of such a monumental project. 

Reports suggest production is set to begin in earnest on the next Man of Steel movie sometime in March. However, "Superman: Legacy" isn't just going to introduce a new Clark Kent, to be played by David Corenswet. It's going to have a full roster of other superpowered beings, including Hawkgirl, who will be portrayed by Isabela Merced, fresh off a different superhero project in "Madame Web." She also shared an Instagram story about the "Superman: Legacy" event, and while the post is no longer available, she may have revealed too much about which comic book arc this new Superman film could pull influence from — the "Kingdom Come" storyline.

Isabela Merced posted a photo straight from the "Superman: Legacy" table read that showed off her name placard, which indicates she's playing Hawkgirl and contains an intriguing Superman "S" emblem. The picture was shared via her Instagram stories, but Culture Crave managed to upload it to X, formerly known as Twitter. Many were quick to point out how the "S" depicted in the logo resembles what Superman wore in the "Kingdom Come" storyline, written by Mark Waid with exceptionally beautiful art from Alex Ross. 

Merced's tease isn't exactly the first post hinting that James Gunn has plans for "Kingdom Come" in his new DC cinematic universe. In November 2022, Gunn posted an image from the comic book arc on X along with the caption, "Making plans." Given the magnitude of such a storyline, some could've assumed he may have had "Kingdom Come" in his line of sight to adapt down the road. But with that specific "S" seemingly affiliated with "Superman: Legacy," it's possible the story (or at least elements of it) is coming to the big screen much sooner. 

"Kingdom Come" is a highly influential work of art set in an alternate DC future where Superman, Batman, and other members of the Justice League have retired. In their place comes a new generation of crimefighters who aren't as caught up about the "no-killing" rule as heroes of the past. This forces Superman and others of his kind out of retirement, trying to set things right while putting anyone who doesn't agree with his methods into the "Gulag." It's a fantastic story about morality and what it means to be a hero, and with several hints of it being adapted to the new DC Universe, the seeds could be planted sooner rather than later. 

As tends to be the case with any comic book-inspired storyline, it's likely not going to be a one-to-one adaptation. James Gunn has already discussed how "Superman: Legacy" won't be an origin story, but one that will see the character in his early years. The "Kingdom Come" comic has a much older Superman, so that's automatically one difference. Given the sheer volume of other heroes in this story, including Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl as well as Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), Superman could easily find himself at odds with his contemporaries on how to dispense justice.

Additionally, a movie based on "The Authority" is making its way to Gunn's universe. These are superpowered characters who have no qualms about using extreme methods to get their point across. Even if "Superman: Legacy" isn't a straight-up "Kingdom Come" adaptation, the pieces are falling into place for the story's themes to permeate this new cinematic take on the DC Universe.