Fan Casting Psycho Mantis in Live-Action Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Movie Adaptation

In The Phantom Pain, Psycho Mantis appears as the Third Child, a silent, masked boy who wears a distinctive floating, hovering mask and cloak (sometimes called the "Flying Mask Girl" by fans because of his ethereal appearance). He has immense telekinetic and mind-controlling powers, able to manipulate the environment and people, including controlling the giant Metal Gear Sahelanthropus. The Third Child is bound by a strong psychic connection to Eli (young Liquid Snake), whom he protects and aids in rebellion against Venom Snake. His powers are both a blessing and a curse, as he is a child used as a weapon and struggles with his own identity. Unlike the video game, where the character is a boy, in the live-action movie adaptation, she’s a female played by Emily Alyn Lind. The decision was made because the portrayal of a boy dying his hair red, looking like a girl, would not be the right decision to portray that kind of gender identity to live audiences, and to avoid controversy, homophobia, and criticism from critics and audiences. This decision was similar to the casting of the Silver Surfer character in The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), where she was a female in the movie, while Silver Surfer was a male in Marvel.