The trailer for Superman by James Gunn has been revealed, and it is full of easter eggs, including one intriguing character that particularly caught the attention.
After a decade of agony in cinema, the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) finally gave up the ghost with the horrible Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom released at the end of 2023. But now that the DCEU is dead, the brand new DCU (DC Universe) orchestrated by James Gunn and Peter Safran is preparing to take up the torch, and try to restore its cinematic nobility to the DC stable .
After laying the foundations of the DCU with the series Creature Commandosthe wait is now focused on the film Supermanscheduled for summer 2025. A project which has benefited from a sustained communication campaign, culminating with the recent broadcast of the epic trailer for Superman.
This is rich in details and references for discerning fans. Among these elements, the appearance of a character with a singular appearance raised questions: Who is this wrinkled individual with the look of the day after a drunken party, and what will be his importance in James Gunn's film? Elements of answers.
Superman vs Rex Mason
Contrary to the first speculations which circulated just after the release of the trailer for Supermanthe character in question is not the alien android Brainiac, but indeed Metamorpho, also known as Rex Mason. It's the actor Anthony Carrigan (Victor Zsasz in the series Gotham) who will be responsible for embodying this character on screen.
Created in 1965 by screenwriter Bob Haney and artist Ramona Fradon, Metamorpho is a superhero with unique abilities. An adventurer by profession, Rex Mason is hired by Simon Stagg, an influential industrialist (whose name appears in the trailer for Superman), to recover a rare Egyptian artifact: the Orb of Ra. Mason then goes on an expedition with Sapphire, Simon Stagg's daughter, and the two fall in love.
However, after discovering Mason's romantic relationship with his daughter, Simon Stagg orchestrates a plot to eliminate Rex. Exposed to radiation from a meteorite during his mission, Rex undergoes a radical transformation, becoming Metamorpho, a sacred soldier of the God Ra, capable of transforming into any element on Mendeleev's periodic table.
He can not only transmute his body into any element or chemical compound, but can also change its shape, size, and physical properties at will. This ability gives him superhuman strength, exceptional resistance and near immortality.
That said, unlike other superheroes, Metamorpho cannot return to normal human appearance, which often leads him to view himself as a monster and desperately search for a way to return to his original state. Metamorpho is the kind of “freak” character that James Gunn is particularly fond of.
Les Metamorphoses
Like what was done on Creature CommandosMetamorpho's introduction in the film Superman suggests a desire by the Gunn-Safran duo to explore lesser-known characters from the DC universe. His presence could indicate an expansion towards storylines involving teams like the Justice League, or even more like the Outsiders, of which he is a founding member alongside… Batman.
In this sense, the arrival of Metamorpho in the DCU could very well be the first step towards the appearance of the Man-Bat. The other clue pointing in this direction is the presence of Stagg Industries, since this company is one of the competitors of Wayne Enterprises, the company of Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Finally, it could be Metamorpho, in the form of a fire-breathing monster, that we see ransacking the city in the trailer. Indeed, we noticed that the kaiju's blue eyes strangely resemble those of Metamorpho. The character could very well transform and become one of the main antagonists of James Gunn's film.
Superman will arrive in French cinemas on July 9, 2025.
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