New DC Hires Fire Henry Cavill As Superman

Weeks after giving him the “ok” to announce his awaited return as Superman, the new DC administration disappointed fans by discontinuing Henry Cavill’s Superman. 

DC’s new Co-Charimen and CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran mark a new era for the DCU. They are wasting no time making moves and setting their plans in motion. Following the cancellation of Wonder Woman 3, Cavill’s firing supports the theory that the new DC heads are most likely recasting heroes to begin the making of a new Justice League. 

Gunn’s rendition of Superman will be “focusing on an earlier part of [his] life” according to a tweet from Gunn confirming the news. To do so, they require a younger Superman, a characteristic Cavill simply cannot fulfill. 

The DC movies are hit or miss and I am sure a fresh start appeals to fans; however, what makes Cavill’s departure so difficult is the sheer timing of it all. It was only seven weeks after promising his return that fans were met with the devastating news. 

I can only imagine the excitement fans felt when they finally heard the announcement of Cavill’s long-awaited return. The last appearance of Cavill’s Superman was in the unsatisfying 2017 Justice League and revived 2021 Snyder Cut. 

After dropping the bad news, fans were not afraid to express their frustration. They fear that a younger Superman means another rehashing of his origins. However, when asked if it would be another origin story, Gun tweeted a simple, direct but reassuring response – “No Way.” 

Besides preparing a clean slate to build his universe on, another probable cause Gunn wants a younger Superman is reliability. Cavill is nearly 40 years old and starting a 10-year Marvel-like endeavor with the DCU comes with higher risks of wearing Cavill out and losing the forever-young Superman physique. Even so, Cavill revealed in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter that he does not mind entertaining the idea he may continue to make action movies well into his 50s.

Cavill is admired for his portrayal of Superman on and off the screen. Like heroic Superman, Cavill uses his platform to support causes and offer kindness to anyone and everyone he meets. In the humanized interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cavill describes why “basic human decencies” of showing “respect and good manners” is a priority to him. 

Like endearing Clark Kent, Cavill is humble and chooses to separate his professional and personal life. Of what he does share, fans enjoy relating to his cooking and gaming hobbies. As a fan and geek himself of numerous franchises, he understands the importance of serving the fans and not his paycheck; especially when it comes to creating cinematic adaptations of beloved source materials. 

Superman, Geralt of Rivia and Sherlock Holmes are all characters that have a massive fanbase and history behind them. Rather than focusing on simply distinguishing his portrayal from past actors, Cavill studies each character to portray them with the source material and fans in mind. 

In October, Cavill announced leaving The Witcher around the same time he announced his return as Superman. While Cavill probably left to fulfill his role as Superman, after it fell through, he did not return to The Witcher. While fans are beyond disappointed, they stand by Cavill through the decision in frustration knowing Cavill’s integrity and intentions. 

Cavill walked away allegedly for creative differences. He wanted to make Geralt a more dynamic character and stay true to the source material fans like himself loved while the higher-ups did not. Despite losing two roles in major franchises, Cavill, like Clark, will not compromise his values. Fans continue to support him through all the uncertain ups and downs.

It is just simply unfortunate that Black Adam’s Cavill Superman cameo was released weeks before Gunn and Safran were hired and began demolishing the DCU. It is just simply infuriating that they are leaving the cliffhanger ending incomplete and unfinished. 

Even amidst the disappointment the fans face with Cavill, he still encourages them to have hope – just like Superman. In Cavill’s string of farewell messages, he reassured fans that while he may not always be Superman, what Superman stands for will always remain. 

Who knows, this reset may be exactly what the DCU needs, but DC must tread carefully through this uncertain time or their next few moves may frustrate fans to a point where the DCU may never recover. 

Will the making of a new foundation prove to be the start of a promising universe, or will there be too much debris leftover from the demolition to build anything better?