Zack Snyderplanned to putSupermanthrough the wringer and seemingly without a single shade of Kryptonite to orchestrate the hero’s rise, fall and eventual redemption. As it turns out, though,Henry Cavill’stime as the Man of Steel fell to the wayside along with the now defunct Snyderverse. But had the DCEU continued, before the announcement of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU, the Last Son of Krypton would have ultimately faced off against Darkseid and redeemed himself. Snyder said in an interview withGQ:
“He was going to have to succumb to the Anti-life,be destroyed, turn the clock back, and thenget his chance for this battle against Darkseid.If you will… that would have finished his trilogy ofbecoming this guardian, and sort of, return him to his humanity.”
Cavill’s iteration of the DC Comics character last appeared in a cameo at the conclusion of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’sBlack Adam(2022). In what was ultimately a brief meeting of the super-powered persuasion, Johnson and Cavill seemed to be setting up a future, big-screen clash between the Man of Steel and the Champion of Kahndaq. However, those hopes fizzled into the history books almost as quickly when Gunn announced at the outset of 2023 he’d be leading a revamped DC Universe — and Cavill was ultimately replaced by a new Superman, David Corenswet.
Watch Our Interview with Henry Cavill for Guy Ritchie’s Latest Film Below:
A Superman for All Seasons, a Man of Steel Who Kills?
Even portrayingthe best superhero in the DCEUcould not save Henry Cavill’s version of Superman from being obliterated, as the DCU readies to present moviegoers with a new Last Son of Krypton in James Gunn’s 2025Supermanfilm. Certainly, there were some issues with Zack Snyder’s version of the DC Comics character. One glaring red flag popped up in a big way at the conclusion of Cavill’s first film in the cape and tights: Superman breaks General Zod’s (Michael Shannon) neck! For those less familiar with the source material, killing is a no-no for Kal-El. But Snyder defended the decision in the same interview with GQ:
“He’s not going to stop.He wasn’t going to negotiate an outcome, so it was either Zod or us. And that was pretty much the game. There was no like middle ground.Zod said he would fight until either you kill me or I kill you […]If Superman can’t handle that position, then he’s fake, then he’s not… you got to like…he’s got to address the scenarios that come to him.He can’t pick and choose, asyou can’t pick and choose when something is outside of your morality.”
While Superman killing Zod may not have doomed the character, the Snyderverse seemed hellbent on turning the Man of Steel into a maniac who the other heroes would ultimately have to step up against and battle to the death. The loss of Lois Lane (Amy Adams) would have ultimately driven Supes into the bloodthirsty arms of Darkseid, and even Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Wonder Woman’s (Gal Gadot) murders at the hands of Superman were teased inZack Snyder’s Justice League.
Evil Superman, Ultraman, or whatever fans want to call the renegade Clark Kent… what would have become of Cavill’s Man of Steel in the Snyderverse is now a moot point. And, at the end of the day,Cavill’s most memorable appearance as Superman,in terms of storytelling, came over a decade ago inMan of Steel(2013).
James Gunn’s DCU Has a Different Approach to Superman
Man of Steel
Cavill’s exit as Superman was brisk and depressing. When he teased his post-credits scene inBlack Adamon Instagram, Cavill wrote, “A very small taste of what’s to come, my friends. The dawn of hope renewed. Thank you for your patience, it will be rewarded.” Just two months after that, James Gunn announced that his new approach to Superman would focus on a younger version of the character, and that Cavill wouldn’t fit the role. Gunn followed that up on Dec. 14 witha message on X:
But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we’re big fans and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future.
James Gunn Shuts Down Conspiracy Theory About His Part in Henry Cavill’s Superman Exit
When it was suggested that Gunn “lied to fans” about his Superman involvement at The Suicide Squad premiere, the director quickly responded.
The same day, Cavill verified that he’d had a meeting with Gunn, writing a heartfeltmessage on his Instagramto the fans. “It’s sad news, everyone. I will, after all, not be returning as Superman,” Cavill wrote. “After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life.I respect that James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes.” He added:
“For those who have been by my side through the years….we can mourn for a bit, but then we must remember…. Superman is still around.Everything he stands for still exists, and the examples he sets for us are still there! My turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will.It’s been a fun ride with you all, onwards and upwards.”
It was a sad but meaningful goodbye. We’ll never get to fully see what Cavill and Snyder would’ve done with the character, but there is still a lot of Superman to come. In the meantime, Cavill’s latest film,The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, is now in theaters.
Henry Cavill’s last appearance as Superman inBlack Adamcan be streamed absolutely free onTubi,at the time of this writing.
