Who Is The Night King-Looking Superhero In The Superman Trailer?

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As a seasoned gamer and comic book enthusiast who’s seen his fair share of superheroes come and go, I must say, the casting for James Gunn’s upcoming “Superman” film is nothing short of impressive! The ensemble he’s gathered looks promising, with familiar faces like Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner.

The first teaser trailer for James Gunn’s new “Superman” film has finally arrived, providing a first look at the feature’s ensemble of DC Comics characters. Of course, David Corenswet leads the pack in the title role, sporting the redesigned costume Gunn revealed earlier this year. Alongside him and newly showcased in the dazzling teaser are Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and a perfectly cast Nathan Fillion as the awful Green Lantern Guy Gardner.

Among them, Mister Terrific and Hawkgirl are well-known characters who have appeared on The CW’s Arrowverse, while the actor portraying another character is mostly hidden by makeup. At around the 1:50 mark in the trailer, viewers catch a brief look at this less famous superhero – Metamorpho, played by Anthony Carrigan, an acclaimed TV actor known for numerous high-profile roles. Fans of “Game of Thrones” might compare his appearance to the show’s terrifying villain, the Night King.

Who is Metamorpho?

In the comics, Rex Mason, an ordinary archaeologist, was transformed into Metamorpho. His work was for the questionable businessman Simon Stagg, a name you might recognize as the setting for Stagg Enterprises, which James Gunn has confirmed is featured in the movie based on this trailer.

In the course of their expedition in Egypt, Stagg ends up betraying Mason. Unknowingly, this act leads Mason to encounter radioactive material, which bestows him with incredible powers of transformation. Although he doesn’t have the ability to totally morph his body like Plastic Man or Mystique from Marvel comics, he can change specific parts of his body into various substances and elements. Moreover, he often transforms his fists into dangerous shapes such as maces or hammers.

Over the decades since his debut in 1965, Metamorpho has been a part of various supergroups, such as the Justice League (across different versions and eras), Batman’s Outsiders, and more recently Mister Terrific’s The Terrifics. It remains to be seen whether Gunn’s movie will have Metamorpho teaming up with Terrific, Gardner, and Hawkgirl or if he’ll be a new hero finding his way in the world like Superman. From the trailer, it appears that his unusual physical traits will be depicted through makeup to some extent. Metamorpho’s appearance often makes him feel alienated from others, an aspect of his personality that Anthony Carrigan could relate to on a personal level.

Who is Anthony Carrigan?

In interviews following his casting, Anthony Carrigan has revealed that he’s overjoyed to collaborate with James Gunn after years of wanting the opportunity. What resonated deeply with him about the character of Metamorpho was his battle with a supernaturally changed physical appearance, as this mirrored his own struggles with alopecia, a condition leading to partial or complete hair loss.

2024, he expressed to Rolling Stone that going through alopecia is a significant shift in one’s life, particularly affecting self-identity. He explained that people often focus on the condition rather than the person, which can be isolating and dehumanizing. Interestingly, villains often struggle with acceptance, while superheroes tend to embrace themselves more. This idea of acknowledging one’s journey and leading with love instead of bitterness and a desire for change is key, he suggested.

In popular circles, Carrigan is particularly recognized for his role in the HBO series “Barry,” where he portrayed NoHo Hank, a significant figure within the criminal underworld of the show. To comic book enthusiasts, he might be familiar through his past appearances in the universe; initially as the lethal assassin Kyle Nimbus, also known as Mist, on the Arrowverse series “The Flash.” Subsequently, he was seen on the Fox crime series “Gotham” as the sinister Batman adversary Victor Zsasz. The upcoming film “Superman” is set to hit cinemas on July 11, 2025.

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2024-12-20 00:29