Everything We Know About Hawkgirl, The Latest Superhero In Superman: Legacy
Known as the first official movie to kickstart James Gunn’s revamped DC Universe, Superman: Legacy is easily Warner Bros’ most anticipated title at the moment, even though fans still have to wait another two years for its official theater release. Moving on from the iconic Henry Cavill and Amy Adams, the upcoming Superman movie will feature brand-new versions of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, portrayed by David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan respectively. The casting choice by James Gunn receives positive reactions from fans so far, especially with Corenswet’s case, who’s basically a real-life counterpart of The Man of Tomorrow.
Besides the two main characters, Superman: Legacy excites fans even more as the movie will also add other important DC heroes, such as Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific into the roster. Hawkgirl, in particular, who’s played by Isabela Merced in the movie, is known for her extremely confusing comic lore, so we’re excited to see how DC will transition her into the plot of the upcoming Man of Steel title.
#1. Who will portray Hawkgirl in Superman: Legacy?
Source: IMDb
The flying heroine will be portrayed by Isabela Merced, who’s known for her breakout role as Dora the Explorer in the 2019 movie Dora and the Lost City of Gold. Hawkgirl is going to be Isabela’s second superhero role, as she also stars in Marvel’s upcoming spinoff Madame Web in 2024. The casting choice was officially confirmed by James Gunn himself on Twitter on July 12.
#2. Hawkgirl’s comic origin is a long and confusing one.
Source: DC Comics
Like her male counterpart Hawkman, Hawkgirl reincarnates every time she dies, thus she has numerous different versions and incarnations from various timelines and universes, and takes part in countless DC continuities, which can make it hard for casual fans to keep track of her. Hawkgirl has several versions of herself, whose stories intertwine greatly with each other.
Hawkgirl’s most well-known version is Shiera Sanders, the wife of Carter Hall, who’s also the original Hawkman. Her second variant, Shayera Hol, along with her husband Katar Hol, are aliens who come from the Planet of Thanagar, and are basically the cosmic versions of their Earth counterparts. Some other Hawkgirl versions include Shayera Thal, whose backstory’s a combination of Shayera Hol and Shiera; and Kendra Saunders, who’s later revealed to be the reincarnation of Shayera in later comic arcs. Baffling, right?
Source: DC Comics
Hawkgirl’s storyline can be even more confusing than Hawkman's at times, as Shiera and Kendra take on the same mantle in the comics occasionally. Successing the moniker from the previous versions of Hawkgirl, Kendra Saunders also inherits their memories, and sometimes even feelings. Even when Kendra dies, Shiera’s soul continues to possess her body, which makes the incarnation even more convoluting than it already is.
Apparently, there is no news yet about which version of Hawkgirl Isabela Merced’s going to play.
#3. What is her comic power?
Source: DC
While there are several incarnations of Hawkgirl in the comics, her overall powers and weapons set remain largely the same. Much like Hawkman, the heroine dons the same suit material and helmet, while also possessing the trademark wings that allow her to soar above the sky and protect her from projectiles. Depending on the incarnation, her wings can be either artificial or authentic.
Besides the iconic suits and wings, Hawkgirl usually wields a Thanagarian mace in battle, similar to her male counterpart. All versions of her are also extremely competent in melee combat. In both Shayera’s cases, they even wield superhuman powers as well.
#4. Will we see multiple versions of Hawkgirl in James Gunn’s DC Universe as well?
Source: DC Comics
The over-complicated comic origin of both Hawkman and Hawkgirl is one of their distinctive charms, as their soul continues to reincarnate as they die, so it’s quite likely that we’ll get to see multiple incarnations of them as the saga goes on. However, Gunn might want to tone it down a bit from the comics, as their backstories can be too confusing at times for casual viewers.
Since Hawkman’s fate always intertwines greatly with Hawkgirl, the version of Hawkman will change accordingly to the incarnation of Hawkgirl that appears in the upcoming Superman movie.
#5. Superman: Legacy will feature two more iconic heroes.
Source: DC Comics
Besides Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, two additional members of the Justice League along with their respective actors were also confirmed by James Gunn in the tweet. Guy Gardner’s version of Green Lantern instead of Hal Jordan will be portrayed by Nathan Fillion, and Edi Gathegi will make his Mr. Terrific debut in the DC Universe. While Superman will still take the majority of the spotlight in the upcoming film, we can expect these three superheroes will get their fair share of action as well.
As confirmed by Gunn, Superman: Legacy will not be an origin story, so the movie won’t delve too much into the Man of Steel and other heroes’ past, and the Justice League may have been established in the new DC Universe already. No further information about the film’s overall plot is revealed yet, but we can expect to see Supes, Hawkgirl, and the others in action on July 11, 2025.
Which version of Hawkgirl do you think will appear in Superman: Legacy? Let us know in the comment.