‘Mister Miracle’ Casts Mackenzie Davis as Big Barda in Animated Series

Few DC stories have resonated with readers quite like Tom King and Mitch Gerads’ ‘Mister Miracle’, so it’s no wonder fans have been eagerly anticipating the casting of Big Barda in the animated adaptation. This question has lingered since the project was quietly announced, and now we finally have an answer.

The adult animated series received the green light in June 2025 during the Annecy Animation Festival. At that time, Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios provided a logline and some details but withheld the voice cast. King was appointed as showrunner and executive producer, with Gerads also on board as a producer.

Now, the wait is over. Mackenzie Davis will lend her voice to Big Barda, the formidable New God and spouse of escape artist Scott Free. Josh Hutcherson will voice Scott, marking the first confirmed leads for the series.

DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran revealed the news while discussing the studio’s animated projects. In an interview with IGN, he mentioned that King adapted his own comic and “wrote all eight episodes, and I think it’s just dynamite.” He casually mentioned the two leads during the conversation.

This casting announcement didn’t come as a complete surprise. Earlier this month, rumors suggested that the show had already secured two leads, though their roles were not disclosed. At San Diego Comic-Con this year, King described the search for Barda’s voice as a delightful challenge and indicated that they had found an exceptional actress without revealing her name.

King had been dropping hints for months. Back at WonderCon in May, he noted that some actors perfectly matched the voices he envisioned, while one surprised him with an unexpected interpretation. Nathan Fillion also disclosed in August that he voices Guy Gardner in the series.

Davis is well-known to genre fans for her roles in ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ and ‘Speak No Evil’. Hutcherson, on the other hand, is recognized for his work in ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’. This pairing is intriguing for a narrative that intertwines domestic drama with cosmic conflict.

There’s also an interesting physical detail to consider. Davis is taller than Hutcherson, which reflects the comics where Barda is typically about a foot taller than Scott. This detail could be significant if either actor transitions into live action.

The live-action question remains a pressing one. James Gunn has indicated that actors cast in major animated roles are intended to portray their characters across both mediums for primary castings, with Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. serving as an example. However, it’s still unclear whether Hutcherson and Davis will reprise their roles as Scott and Barda in live action, and neither has been confirmed for any upcoming DCU film.

The series is also designed to have relevance within the shared universe. King has confirmed that it is a DCU project with significant implications for the broader franchise, and he has teased that Darkseid and Orion have been cast. Gunn has also confirmed that it exists within the same universe as the live-action projects.

The official synopsis follows Scott Free, the world’s greatest escape artist, whose seemingly perfect life with Barda on Earth begins to unravel. A war rages between Apokolips and New Genesis, and his adoptive father Darkseid seems to have captured the Anti-Life Equation. As the body count rises, Scott may be the only one capable of stopping the carnage.

This setup makes the relationship between Scott and Barda the emotional heart of the series. King has emphasized that their bond is central to the entire narrative, underscoring the importance of casting Barda. The series is set to premiere on HBO Max, although a release date has yet to be announced.

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