How The DCEU Is Already Replacing Henry Cavill’s Superman

Henry Cavill’s status in the DCEU is one of Hollywood’s big mysteries, but the franchise is already replacing Superman with other characters. The trajectory of the DCEU has been a fascinating roller coaster of highs and lows, but the entire venture traces back to the debut of Henry Cavill as a humble reporter known as Clark Kent. Released in 2013, Man of Steel was a new dawn for Superman, with Zack Snyder combining the realism of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy with his own trademark stylized action sheen. As the MCU enjoyed sustained dominance in theaters, Man of Steel became the first entry in a DC cinematic universe, and Cavill would return as the last son of Krypton in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League.

Unfortunately, poor reviews and lower-than-expected box office stunted the growth of the DCEU, while creative disagreements between Snyder and Warner Bros. led to the famous Snyder Cut war of 2017-2020. The landscape of the DCEU is now far removed from the typical shared universe model, with loosely connected movies, an incoming multiverse, and no overarching narrative playing out from one movie to the next. And yet, despite boasting a packed slate for the next 2 years, there’s no concrete indication Cavill will be reprising his role.

A DC universe without Superman, however loosely connected that world might be, is difficult to fathom, especially since it was Cavill’s character who kick-started the franchise. And with only one DCEU solo film under his thin, gold belt, Supes’ potential has hardly been exhausted. But as the absence of Superman on the big screen continues, the DCEU has been steadily replacing elements of the Superman character with other heroes.

Henry Cavill’s Future As The DCEU Superman Explained

Through all the DCEU upheaval, the performance of Henry Cavill as both Superman and his civilian alter ego has attracted widespread praise. Despite enduring Man of Steel‘s controversial Zod ending, Batman V Superman‘s Martha moment and Justice League‘s CGI mustache, Cavill has emerged largely unscathed, and fans are strongly behind seeing more of the British actor’s Superman in the DCEU, ideally starring in Man of Steel 2. Alas, Henry Cavill’s Superman future has been told through a string of unconfirmed reports and subsequent denials since the release of Justice League.

Back in 2016, a sequel to Man of Steel looked to form a key part of Warner Bros,’ DCEU future, with various names attached as potential directors. One of those linked was Christopher McQuarrie, who worked with Cavill on Mission: Impossible – Fallout. McQuarrie has since revealed that he and Cavill pitched a Superman idea to Warner Bros. but weren’t given the go-ahead. Since then, Man of Steel 2 has lost all momentum, seemingly a casualty of the post-Batman V Superman reshuffle. Latest rumors claim that Warner Bros. have no interest in pursuing another Superman solo movie in the near future.

Nevertheless, Cavill has remained attached to the DCEU… but just barely. In 2018, the actor was reported to have walked away from the Superman role, but Cavill himself eventually denied this, much to the relief of fans. In 2020, Cavill also denied shooting additional Snyder cut material, but wouldn’t be drawn on whether or not he had signed a deal with Warner Bros. to feature in additional non-solo DCEU movies. As things stand, Cavill is still the DCEU’s Superman and appears to be lined up for future appearances, albeit not in Man of Steel 2. However, Warner Bros. certainly aren’t rushing to get Clark Kent back on the big screen, and this might be because other superheroes have picked up the slack in his absence.

Wonder Woman Already Offers The DCEU A Hopeful Superhero

A hallmark of any Superman incarnation is the unwavering sense of hope he provides the citizens of Earth. One the biggest criticisms Man of Steel faced was Zack Snyder’s darker approach to the character that saw Superman brutally kill General Zod in the climactic battle, since this openly contradicted the traditional optimism of DC’s most famous hero. Man of Steel 2 would almost certainly portray Clark in a more familiar, hopeful light – a beacon of humanity among the injustice and jeopardy of the DCEU’s fictional Earth. However, that vacancy has been ably filled by Wonder Woman. Since debuting in Batman V Superman, Diana Prince has proved herself the standout character of the DCEU, and while the Amazonian has always been a bastion of goodness and faith, those qualities are amplified in Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman.

More than Henry Cavill’s Superman, Diana’s DCEU journey has revolved entirely around the concept of hope in dark times. An optimistic and precarious youngster, Diana was shaken after witnessing the horrors of World War I and the death of Steve Trevor, but by championing hope and cooperation over the decades, Diana has defiantly refused to lose her faith in mankind. Usually, one would expect Superman to be touting these virtues, but Wonder Woman is a more-than capable stand-in. Judging from the footage released so far, Wonder Woman 1984 and the Justice League Snyder cut will continue to make Diana Prince the foremost source of hope in the DC movie universe, leading by example and refusing to be corrupted by darkness.

Supergirl Could Be Superman’s Direct DCEU Replacement

In the DC comics, Clark Kent is surrounded by an entire roster of super-friends and family members, and the most famous of these companions could become a like-for-like replacement for Henry Cavill’s Superman in the DCEU. Leaving the awful 1984 Supergirl movie out of the equation, Superman’s cousin has proven a popular character in her own right, with Melissa Benoist’s Kara commanding a central role in the Arrowverse for six full seasons. Supergirl has yet to officially debut in the DCEU, but her long-awaited arrival on the big screen has been a hot topic of discussion nonetheless. A Supergirl movie was announced in 2018, with Oren Uziel of 22 Jump Street writing the script. The Man of Steel prequel comic penned by Zack Snyder even introduced DCEU Kara as early as 2013, with the director confirming a Man of Steel Supergirl setup clue was hidden  “in plain sight.” Sadly, further Supergirl announcements have not been forthcoming and, several months ago, reports suggested the project had been added to the long list of “on hold” DCEU movie ideas.

But the fate of Supergirl on TV could dictate Kara’s return to the movies. The CW’s Supergirl series will end with season 6, cancelled in favor of a Lois & Clark spin-off. With the Man of Steel moving to the small screen, the Girl of Steel’s cinematic future begins to look far brighter, with Kara essentially swapping platforms with her famous cousin. Although the two Kryptonians have very different personalities, Supergirl’s introduction to the DCEU could check many of the boxes usually attributed to Superman, effectively replacing Cavill in the franchise. Kara offers the same extra-terrestrial history and awesome powers as Clark, but her more fallible personality gives more scope for storytelling. Through Wonder Woman and Birds of Prey, the DCEU has a strong track record with female characters, and a Supergirl movie (one that isn’t abjectly bad) could banish the clouds created by Henry Cavill’s absence.

Black Adam & Shazam Can Also Replace Parts Of Superman’s Role

While Wonder Woman adopts Superman’s hopeful nature and the potential introduction of Supergirl offers an almost like-for-like replacement, Black Adam and Shazam also cover some of Clark’s most recognizable characteristics. Zachary Levi arrived in the DCEU as Shazam in early 2019 and immediately settled on the lighter side of the superhero spectrum. Shazam‘s tone was more in line with the original Christopher Reeve Superman movies than the modern genre, giving the DCEU a heartier touch usually reserved for Superman… when he’s not snapping Zod’s neck. Shazam’s superpowers are somewhat similar to Superman’s, and a played-for-laughs cameo cements the connection, but more so than Billy Batson, Black Adam appears to be positioned as the DCEU’s long-term Superman replacement.

Set to be played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, it’s already evident that DCEU Black Adam will be a more heroic interpretation of the comic book character. Adam has been both an outright villain and a misunderstood antihero in the DC comics, but Johnson’s will lean heavily towards the latter – a liberator of people who fights for justice in his own uncompromising way. As reiterated by The Rock himself, Black Adam is as powerful as Superman, and the actor has talked-up the chances of the two DC titans coming to blows on the big screen. A character with Black Adam’s abilities and the baby-face heroism of The Rock already feels like a potential Superman replacement, and if the DCEU can ever navigate around Johnson’s schedule, Black Adam could one day become the face of the franchise.

But even if other DC heroes can perform the various narrative functions of Superman, there’s no substitute for the real thing, especially while Henry Cavill holds fans’ hearts. Warner Bros. will take comfort in knowing their superhero franchise doesn’t need Superman to survive, but there’s no getting away from the iconic status of the world’s most famous comic book character. Sooner or later, Superman will have to swoop back into the DCEU.

About The Author

Craig Elvy
(3637 Articles Published)

Craig first began contributing to Screen Rant in 2016, several years after graduating college, and has been ranting ever since, mostly to himself in a darkened room. Having previously written for various sports and music outlets, Craig’s interest soon turned to TV and film, where a steady upbringing of science fiction and comic books finally came into its own.
Craig has previously been published on sites such as Den of Geek, and after many coffee-drenched hours hunched over a laptop, part-time evening work eventually turned into a full-time career covering everything from the zombie apocalypse to the Starship Enterprise via the TARDIS.

Since joining the Screen Rant fold, Craig has been involved in breaking news stories and mildly controversial ranking lists, but now works predominantly as a features writer.
Jim Carrey is Craig’s top acting pick and favorite topics include superheroes, anime and the unrecognized genius of the High School Musical trilogy.

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