A snippet of Metamorpho was included in the first trailer for DC Studios’ Superman.
The countdown to Superman has begun! The James Gunn-helmed film doesn’t land in theaters until July 2025, but on Thursday, December 19, Warner Bros. and DC Studios brought a first look at footage from Superman to the internet-at-large.
The teaser trailer for Superman included a standout, close-up shot of a man with very pale skin and markings on his face. That man was Rex Mason aka, the superhero Metamorpho, the Element Man, who will be portrayed by Anthony Carrigan in the upcoming movie.
First announced for the part of Metamorpho in 2023, Carrigan is quite recognizable by his distinct appearance and is often cast as different villains and antagonists.
He had a standout turn as the quirky Chechen gangster in the acclaimed, Bill Hader-led HBO series Barry. Carrigan is also no stranger to the DC Universe; he recurred on Gotham as Batman foe Victor Zsasz.
In the pages of the comics, intrepid adventurer Rex Mason was contracted by shady businessman Simon Stagg to collect for him the Orb of Ra, a rare and priceless Egyptian relic.
However, things begin to go South when Stagg discovers that Rex has been dating his daughter and Stagg is none too pleased. This established a long-running animosity between Mason and Stagg that has fueled many of Metamorpho’s stories.
Upon entering the site where the Orb of Ra was housed, Mason was bathed in radiation from a meteorite which mutated his body. His new form can synthesize itself into a wide variety of elements, and often multiple elements at once.
Metamorpho can additionally stretch, elasticize, and contort his body into all manner of shapes and sizes, similar to fellow DC hero Elongated Man, or Marvel’s Mister Fantastic.
Comic writer Bob Haney (co-creator of the Teen Titans) along with artist Ramona Fradon (who also drew for the comic strip Brenda Starr, Reporter for 15 years) created Metamorpho in 1965. His first-ever appearance was in DC’s team-up book, The Brave and the Bold #57.
In the Superman trailer, Kal-El is seen in what looks to be the lobby of a Stagg Industries building. It’s currently unknown what brings him there, but it may have something to do with Metamorpho.
And speaking of Metamorpho’s DCU incarnation, James Gunn himself confirmed (via DCUSuperNews on X (formerly Twitter)) that the character will be brought to screen practically, with prosthetic makeup worn by Anthony Carrigan. The nature of Rex’s powers will necessitate a strong CGI element to him as well.
Superman marks the very first time that Metamorpho has been seen in live-action. But he has had plenty of memorable appearances in DC’s animated output.
In 2002, he cropped up in a two-part episode from the fan-favorite DCAU Justice League animated series. In that program, the late Tom Sizemore, of Saving Private Ryan fame, lent his voice to Rex.
Metamorpho also guest starred a handful of times on Batman: The Brave and the Bold. This take on the shape-changer was presented as a teenager, much younger than his typical status quo, and a member of the Outsiders, a team he’s often been affiliated with in the comics.
Rex Mason isn’t expected to have a gigantic role in Superman. It seems as though Metamorpho is part of a kind of proto-Justice League with other heroes. But hopefully, the Element Man will get his moment to shine in James Gunn’s hotly anticipated film.
DC Studios’ Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025.
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