When “Superman” comes out in theaters in July, the film will introduce audiences to a number of DC characters outside of the titular Man of Steel (David Corenswet). One such hero is Hawkgirl, played in the new DC Universe by Isabela Merced. For some, it’ll be their introduction to the powerful warrior, but she has a long and storied background. If you need a full primer on her before heading to the theater, make sure to check out Looper’s Hawkgirl explainer video above — you never know what kind of Easter eggs will whiz past you if you go in unaware.

Hawkgirl has a very strange and convoluted history in DC Comics. Many have taken on the mantle of Hawkgirl (or Hawkwoman) over the years, but Merced will be portraying the Kendra Saunders version. Kendra’s first appearance came in 1999’s “JSA Secret Files and Origins” #1 from David S. Goyer, James Robinson, Scott Benefiel, and Mark Propst. In this issue, we learn that after Kendra’s death, her great-aunt, Shiera Hall, inhabits her body and continues the tradition of Hawkgirl. She has wings, allowing her to fly, and she wields a formidable mace. Most importantly, she’s cursed to wander the Earth to find her soulmate, and when the two meet, they’re destined to die, resurrect, and start the cycle anew.

It’s unclear how much of Hawkgirl’s backstory will factor into “Superman,” especially given how much ground the film needs to cover in order to properly launch the new DCU. James Gunn’s film could even outright change aspects of her lore to simplify things for moviegoers and “Peacemaker” Season 2 audiences.

Though this is her big-screen debut, Hawkgirl has already appeared in live-action; while Isabela Merced will wear the wings for her cinematic outing, Ciara Renée played the Shiera Sanders Hall iteration of the character in the Arrowverse. Judging from the “Superman” trailers, the hero will mostly be hanging around Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) and Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) as part of the Justice Gang, who appear to be working on behalf of Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn). Fans didn’t love her outfit based on initial set photos, claiming it looked too hokey, but these overly designed costumes may exist for the sole purpose of contrasting with Superman’s more traditional look.

Reviews for “Superman” aren’t out yet, but moviegoers are naturally interested in seeing any film featuring the most famous superhero of all time. Current box office projections indicate an opening weekend haul in the range of $90 million to $125 million domestically. That’s definitely nothing to scoff at, and if the film gets great word of mouth, it could entice others to head to the local cineplex as soon as possible. Amazon Prime is hosting a pre-release event on July 8 for members to see it a few days early, and it holds the honor of being the subject of Fandango’s best advance ticket-selling day of 2025, which certainly suggests hype is real for this movie.

Director James Gunn’s newest movie also stars Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. “Superman” flies into theaters on July 11.