Superman Star Got “In Trouble” After Spoiling This One Thing: “Innocent Mistake”

Superman star Isabela Merced recalls the time she got in trouble for accidentally revealing the film’s “S” logo on her social media. In a profile in Entertainment Weekly, the actress opened up about her experience making the upcoming DC Universe film and shared an amusing anecdote about sharing a spoiler. While at a Superman table read, Merced was understandably excited to see a place card reading “Hawkgirl, Isabela” and decided to take a picture of it. She posted the photo on her Instagram story, and afterwards, she received multiple phone calls because her picture featured Superman’s “S” logo. Merced had thought the logo was just a stock image, but she pulled her post down after only an hour.

“I wasn’t even looking at anything else. I just saw my name and then I saw ‘Hawkgirl, Isabela,’” Merced said. “I was like, ‘F— yeah! I’m going to share this, put it on my [Instagram] Story.’ I get four calls. I was watching a movie, I think, so I didn’t answer. I was just like, ‘It’s my time.’ Then I finally look at my phone and they’re like, ‘You just revealed the Superman S!’ I go back to my story and I’m like, ‘This wasn’t a stock image?!’ I was drawing that [S] since middle school. “It was only up for one hour … I was in trouble. But yeah, it’s fine. Innocent mistake.”

Superman, directed by James Gunn, is slated to open in theaters on July 11th. In addition to Merced’s Hawkgirl, the film introduces a bevy of other superheroes from the DC mythos, including Mister Terrific, Metamorpho, and Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern. While this marks Merced’s first appearance in a DC film, she previously starred in the Marvel adaptation Madame Web. As of this writing, it’s unknown which future DC Universe productions will feature Merced.

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Audiences got a glimpse of Hawkgirl in the first official Superman trailer released in late 2024. The character is seen in full costume, soaring through the air in an out-of-context action shot. Merced previously opened up about Hawkgirl’s look in the film, teasing that Gunn came up with a “specific suit for this specific timeline in the story.”

Merced’s story is another example of how secrecy surrounding big-budget tentpoles can reach unexpected levels. Sharing the Superman “S” logo isn’t the same as revealing a key plot point, but especially when it comes to these major franchise, the studios try to be in complete control of information rollout. This can be tricky with leaked amateur set photos and videos prevalent, but for the most part, fans will learn details about upcoming projects on the studio’s terms — including what the character’s symbol looks like. Some may think WB overreacted after seeing Merced’s post, but the response is somewhat understandable. While the “S” from Merced’s place card ended up being the one used in the film, perhaps other designs were up for consideration before being finalized. Fans are always on the prowl for information they can find about their most anticipated films, and even something as small as a Superman logo can start to paint perceptions about the project.

Merced is no stranger to intense fan bases, having worked in major franchises like Dora the Explorer, The Last of Us, and Alien. Though she’s still early in her career, she probably understands as well as anyone how interested viewers are in learning whatever they can about upcoming blockbusters, and she’s been very cautious about what else she’s shared in the build-up to Superman‘s premiere. Fortunately, her slip up wasn’t as severe as something Tom Holland or Mark Ruffalo has done in the past, but Merced learned a valuable lesson that should bode well for her DCU future.