Barry‘s Anthony Carrigan joins Superman: Legacy as one of DC’s weirdest superheroes
James Gunn continues to fill his Superman movie with some very odd heroes—including Carrigan as Metamorpho The Element Man
Aux News Anthony Carrigan
This might have gone without saying—on account of the previous cinematic superhero output of the guy who’s making it—but James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy is shaping up to be a pretty odd film. Take, for instance, a new bit of casting info dug up by The Hollywood Reporter today, revealing that Barry stand-out Anthony Carrigan has been cast in Gunn’s Superman reboot as… Metamorpho!
Who is Metamorpho? Surely you jest: Every superhero fan knows Metamorpho The Element Man, who was created in 1965 as part of Bob Haney’s frequently very goofy Batman team-up comic, The Brave And The Bold. (Ramona Fradon did the art for Metamorpho’s first appearance; she and Haney share creator credit for the character.) He had his own comic for several years! He was in an episode of Justice League that was probably a lot of kid’s first exposure to Tom Sizemore! Metamorpho!
For the inexplicably ignorant, Metamorpho is actually Rex Mason, a two-fisted adventurer who got exposed to one of those radioactive meteors that superheroes were always getting exposed to back in the 1960s, giving him the ability to turn into any element or combination of elements—which is exactly as over-powered as it sounds. He also has some connection to Egyptian mythology, because why not, and one of the most garishly ugly costumes in all of superhero-dom.
All of which is to say: Pretty weird hero to add into the mix when you’re ostensibly trying to reboot an entire cinematic universe, but that’s Gunn for ya. At least he picked a great actor to tackle it (also a Gunn hallmark): Carrigan has received widespread praise for playing super-friendly gangster NoHo Hank on Barry. Carrigan described himself in a Deadline interview as “gobsmacked” by the casting, which is fun; he joins a cast that includes David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan as Clark Kent and Lois Lane. No actor has as yet been announced to play this franchise’s version of Lex Luthor, although they do have a Guy Gardner now!
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Metamorpho’s time is now.In all seriousness, would love to see a (proper) live-action incarnation of the Outsiders. I was pretty disappointed when Black Lightning didn’t do more with their ersatz version of the Outsiders team.
James Gunn already known to make use of unknown or less popular character. I believe he secretly building JSA, JSI or The Terrifics, since I don’t think he’s suitable working on big or popular characters.I can imagine that DC made several movie of the Big Three produce by Safran to appease Zavlav and smaller character under Gunn to build reputation for the fanbase.
James Gunn is about to make a truly weird Superman film as it always should have been.Superman has one of the weirdest rouges galleries and stories in comic book history but all the movies have played it straight and obvious. Lex, Zod, Lex oh look more Lex and his shenanigans with help from Zod.The fact that obscure characters like Metamorpho is being cast for this means there’s a strong chance we see bonkers shit like Mr Mxyplyzyk, Toyman or Mongul. This would’ve been unthinkable with the old guard.
But only if it’s a Toyman who really, really, REALLY leans into the incel/mother’s boy and/or pedo aspect.
Oh, so you mean Bruce Timm?
Why no, why would you say that?
Because he’s got a very specific kind of dommy/subby fetish that he likes seeing played out in his DC work. From Joker’s abuse of Harley in the early seasons of BTAS to having Bruce canonically sleep with Barbara Gordon in both BTAS and – most bizarrely – in Killing Joke to Lex’s treatment of Mercy Graves in STAS to the rapey stuff in Justice League: Gods and Monsters, he’s not unafraid to use his work to show us what he’s into.
One of the things that Supergirl and The Flash did well was break out the more ridiculous baddies even while the main big bad was usually Lex and/or another speedster. The Royal Flush Gang was so ridiculous and delightful in The Flash and Gunn seems like the perfect person to get people into the weird corners of DC in the movie world.
The fact that the first Superman villain we saw under Snyder was Zod, which is just…Superman, only bad, was such a terrible choice. If you have two entities like that next to each other, they don’t look distinct and we don’t really get a sense of who Superman is, especially power-level (or however you want to describe it).
We need a sense of scale for Superman before introducing something like Zod. Wrecking a giant Lex Luthor robot. Taking down deadly toys from Toyman. Taking down someone absolutely strange like Metamorpho. Stuff like that.
Yep. Absolutely creatively bankrupt. Every decision made by everyone involved with the old guard was only to maximize profits or retread the familiar.Oh Superman 2 with Zod was well liked? Let’s start off the reboot with Zod.Oh The Dark Knight Returns and The Death of Superman are some of the bestselling comic books ever? Let’s combine the stories in one movie, surely, it’ll make a trillion dollars.This offbeat casting alone is a sign that things will be better or at the very least real interesting.
This is actually the most excited I’ve been about a DC film in yeeeeears. Probably since the first Wonder Woman film (Had its warts, but it was fun).I grew up on the Timm/Dini series and I so desperately want that squeaky clean, fun, wacky adventure type Superman.
Like, it Gunn has the stones to put Mr. Mxyzptlk (Spelling from memory, probably wrong, but I will always remember the pronunciation from the cartoon as mix spit lick), I will go to the first opening night showing of a film I’ve been to since like 2019.
uncanny resemblance.
I hope they cast Bill Hader as The Uncanny Resemblance. It would be fun to have a little Barry reunion in this movie.
Speaking of uncanny resemblances…C’mon. Third time could be the charm with Carrigan (although we could de-age Bateson).
I keep saying Lex Luthor was the role of a life time for a young Bruce Willis. Young Bruce Willis in a suit as an angry rich guy, c’mon! Give me this an Rainn Wilson as MODOK and take my money.
I’m thinking more Plastic Man. With Hader’s physicality and rubbery (no pun intended) facial expressions, he’d seem to be a shoo-in as Eel O’Brian. He’s also able to deftly straddle overt comedy and serious drama should the need arise.
Hader is a good choice, but I think Ben Schwartz has been actively campaigning for it for a while.
Ben Schwartz is at the point of deserving these kind of things. I now know his name and not just John-Ralphio. He was freaking Sonic.
This has just become my most anticipated movie. As a long-time Metamorpho fan I am beyond excited.Incidentally, I think that screenshot in the header image is from the Justice League episode “Metamorphosis Part 2″
Really good JL arc right there.
Even the bonkers Doom Patrol show didn’t know what to do with Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man and made a joke out of him. Leave it to Gunn to crack these Silver Age characters. I love where this movie is headed, sounds like it’s going to actually be FUN.
It gives me hope for a cinematic Matter-Eater Lad.
I do hope the canonical existence of Matter-Eater Lad in the former DCEU isn’t erased! (Which since it was Gunn’s doing in the first place it probably won’t be.)
Imagine that a group of snyder fans refuse to accept this film even at this early stage. They’d rather have no DC films than this. It’s insane.
I hope one day we get a live-action version of his female counterpart too, Element Girl/Urania Blackwell. If only because that chapter of Sandman centered around her is one of the most impactful in the whole series, and I don’t think the Netflix Sandman show will include it for licensing reasons.
I’m hoping they do, since they’ve already done two episodes from Dream Country. It’s not like they’re going to introduce an obscure character into the new DCU then be all, “oh here’s the exact same-powered character, but a woman”. They could have just cast that part instead, rather than throw money at someone playing a redundant role.…unless the Elementals do some Wonder Twins shit. Do they do Wonder Twins shit?
This might have gone without saying—on account of the previous cinematic superhero output of the guy who’s making it—but James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy is shaping up to be a pretty odd film. a film which isn’t unbearably pompous and self-serious.Fixed that for you.Seriously, if it turns out that this movie is actually secretly setting up a Justice League International film somewhere down the track, that will just make my entire year.
Do snyderverse fans enjoy being angry all the time? I’m super curious. It seems exhausting to exist like that.
Well, I’m not a Snyderverse fan, I’m not angry about anything, and I’m not particularly exhausted, but apart from that, nailed it, good work.
I have no idea what part of his post made you think of the Snyderverse community
I’m asking you if you get off on being angry about something. I already know the answer but you can feel free to respond 😉
He seems to be saying the Gunn movie will be good.
You must have been really eager for a reply there in that whole minute between your first comment and your second one.
What a shame we never saw Zack Snyder’s Metamorpho. He’d probably turn people’s blood into sulphuric acid in slow-mo or something bitchin’ like that.
Keep it simple. Good old fashioned Uranium or Plutonium so almost everyone within range would just die from ionising radiation.
Can “Bad Blood” play on the soundtrack as it happens? Either the Swift or Sedaka songs? We must have the most obvious needle drop at all times.
ah man I just cant stop thinking about zack snyder
I first became a fan of Carrigan’s when he was playing a delightfully unhinged version of Zsasz on Gotham, and I’m glad he’s getting a chance to do more DC work. Also, he’d damned well better win the Emmy for Barry.
There will never be a better Zsaz than he was. And probably never a better Metamorpho.
Aw wait that was him!? We needed more of that Zsasz is so badass!
Knives terrify me FYI
He and Robin Lord Taylor looked like they were having a blast in their scenes together.
these recent superman casting announcements have be very interested in what kind of long-term contracts they have in place. gunn has stated that these same actors will carry across animation and videogames, and obviously he’s not setting them up as one-and-done for this movie alone. very curious.
I mean come on, this is super obvious now. He’s just gonna repeat the opening of The Suicide Squad by filling a team with likeable actors playing C-tier heroes, then have them get wiped out by The Authority to establish them as a real threat. It’s not gonna be hard R like that, so they’ll likely mostly survive, but it feels kind of obvious that that’s what is happening here.
I’m honestly in fear of that. For a Superman film anyway.
I mean if people are cool with Blade without blood than Im sure something will eventually pop up. Remember how the “What If” marvel zombies episode didn’t once feature blood….. yah so… What do you expect from Blade…?
I’m just saying the opening from Blade III with the blood from the overhead sprinklers is never gonna happen again.
just write all your comments in one post, man
Based on the nightclub in What we do in the Shadows , blood sprinklers are a bitch to maintain and never work when you want them too.
I’m still weirded out by The Batman being rated-R. That’s a property that’s never been rated R.
A coworker was like “I took my daughter to that….. it opened with a murder”.
this is mildly problematic for WB
It’s the same reason why there hasn’t been a Blade film yet. How do you depict pools of blood in every other scene with a PG-13 rating. Grow up if ur “h0lding out for the day”. It’s not gonna happen.
Based on the three groups of family birthday parents that walked out of the theatre when Wanda murdered the Illuminati. I’m thinking it’s a pretty safe bet that there wont ever be a Blade film.
Blood streaked across Wanda’s face was controversal. So ask yourself how a Blade film makes sense lol.
Who gives a shit about whether a film is appropriate for kids? And your coworker above should have probably realized what an R rating is.
DC really needs to decide if they’re trying to appease the superhero crowd or the edgelord crowd… lol or incel crowd if you wanna be more specific.
Why am I hearing that first sentence in Noho Hank’s voice.
Well I haven’t actually watched Barry yet, so who knows?
I’ve heard this sentiment before, but it wouldn’t be the Suicide Squad without C-list members getting killed. That’s exactly the team’s M.O.
I actually think that he’s building his own version of the 1980’s Justice League International (with Guy Gardner, etc.), because that team centered around humor, squabbling members, and not getting any respect, which is kinda Gunn’s thing.
That’s what I’ve been thinking , a FLI/Super Buddies movie would be completely Gunn’s thing.
I guess we’ll find out if you are really so superdupersmart
I’m totally on board but man he should slow down with announcing casting other superpowered characters. This is 4 this week now. It’s not an origin story so fine, give me Metallo, Brainiac, giant spider, or w.e. it’s gonna be. But still.
Ok, now I’m getting really bad vibes from this… Yes, Gunn seems to be competent, but let’s not forget his main claim to fame is restricted to GotG. Outside that he has only works that range to “good” to “meh”.So while everybody is expecting him to be the savior of the mess that the DCEU is, he still may pretty well end finding his success from the MCU could not translate to Warner/DC…And overcrowding and overstuffing what is basically the stablishing story of this new version of Superman doesn’t look well. He already has the not insignificant job of setting this new Superman and his world, and clean the bad taste of the last years mess at the DCEU. Putting all these characters in it isn’t a good idea at all. He will either drag the story giving the audience proper introductions for them, or skip that and let that same audience asking why are all those people, who they have no idea who they are, in the movie…
I hope he’s playing Lex and this is a smokescreen
I mean, this is the guy who made a talking racoon and his tree buddy become household favorites all over the world. Metamorpho is right in his wheelhouse.I’m all for Gunn digging deep into the DC Comics bench for fun B and C-list characters because the last iteration of the DC movies felt like everything must revolve around the Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman trinity.