12 years after Henry Cavill debuted in Man of Steel, there’s a new big-screen Superman, completing a tumultuous journey for the DC superhero and, hopefully, setting up a brighter future. Cavill’s portrayal of the iconic character was divisive, as he and Zack Snyder took the character in a darker direction than the more classically optimistic version we were accustomed to from the Christopher Reeve movies. Cavill would go on to reprise the role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League (eventually including Zack Snyder’s version), and a post-credits appearance in Black Adam.
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Just three years removed from that, James Gunn has launched the new DC Universe, replacing the DC Extended Universe that Cavill had been a part of. As if that weren’t confusing enough, some actors and characters have been carried over – but not when it comes to the Man of Steel. Cavill is out, with David Corenswet stepping into the blue tights and putting on the red cape instead. For those who haven’t kept up with all the ins and outs of DC, though, and are watching 2025’s Superman and wondering just what the hell happened, it’s a fair question, and a slightly convoluted story.
The Timeline Of Henry Cavill’s Superman Return & Exit
Things never quite went right for Cavill’s Superman: Man of Steel underperformed at the box office compared to expectations, and proved divisive, especially for its controversial ending in which he snaps General Zod’s neck. That, plus Warner Bros’ desire to catch up with the MCU, led to them pivoting to making Batman v Superman instead of a direct sequel. That too, however, was divisive, and even worse received was Justice League, which suffered from studio interference and conflicting visions (Joss Whedon took over from Snyder, who was dealing with a personal tragedy, and made something very different from the initial plan).
After the release and subsequent disappointment of Justice League, Cavill’s future became increasingly muddled. He was in, he was out, the DCEU was being shaken all about. To hit on some of the key points that happened through the years:
- 2017: There are reports of DC being in talks with Matthew Vaughn over directing Man of Steel 2, but these ultimately don’t lead anywhere.
- 2018: It’s reported by THR that Cavill and DC are parting ways, though this remains unconfirmed by either side.
- 2019: Superman cameos at the end of Shazam, but without his face being shown. Cavill was not the actor in the role, as contract negotiations regarding the cameo broke down.
- Later in 2019: Cavill tells Men’s Health that “The cape is in the closet,” and that he hadn’t given up on the role, believing there was still a lot more to do with the character.
- 2020: Deadline reports there are talks for Cavill to play Superman again, but not in a sequel. A different solo movie, this time produced by J.J. Abrams and focusing on a Black Superman, was in the works at this point as well.
- 2021: Zack Snyder’s Justice League releases after years of fans campaigning, restoring his original vision and the full arc of Cavill’s Man of Steel.
- July 2022: Rumors about Cavill returning in Black Adam reach such a fever pitch that, when it wasn’t announced at San Diego Comic-Con and Dwayne Johnson hinted the actor might not be back, the crowd actually booed him.
- October 2022: Johnson and his team strike a deal with Cavill, which leads to him reprising his role as Superman in a post-credits scene, setting up a bigger return. Cavill posts a statement on Instagram that he is back.
- October-December 2022: Shortly after Black Adam‘s release, there’s a shakeup at DC, with James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over and beginning to plan a new future for the DCU. It’s confirmed, just a couple of months after his return, that Cavill is not part of their plans.
- 2023: Cavill makes his final appearance as Superman with an uncredited cameo in The Flash, which was done via CGI.
James Gunn’s DC Universe Wanted A Fresh Start
When Gunn and Safran came into DC, one of their biggest priorities was making a Superman movie and getting the character right. Unfortunately for Cavill, that meant recasting the role. This was because they wanted a younger take on the character, but it also allowed for a fresh start. The DCEU had proved to be a mixed bag and, by the end, was a turn-off to audiences: it had a long string of box office disappointments through the 2020s, as well as several movies with bad reviews.
Although Gunn carried over some elements, such as John Cena’s Peacemaker, it’s easy to understand why he wanted something – and someone – new for the big-screen relaunch of not only Superman, but the DC brand. None of what happened with the DCEU was Cavill’s fault, but he was clearly inextricably linked to an era that had failed. If Superman were to connect with audiences, then it had to be clear this was something different, and so Cavill was replaced with Corenswet.
That decision has proved to be the right one. Corenswet is great in the role, although it helps that he gets to portray the kind of classic, hopeful Superman we never got the chance to see Cavill do. The movie was a success, too. With over $600 million worldwide and 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, it ensured DC’s fresh start was also a winning one.
Could Henry Cavill Ever Return To DC?
Cavill may be out as Superman, but that doesn’t completely mean he’s done with DC forever. Gunn spoke about Cavill’s exit and potential return earlier in 2025, explaining that the timing was unfortunate, as their takeover was done at the same time the actor was just returning to the role. As Gunn explained: “It was really unfair to him and a total bummer… That was really unfortunate. So Peter and I [decided] the right thing to do was to sit down with [Cavill] and talk to him. And we sat down and we talked to him. He was an absolute gentleman, a great guy about it.”
The Superman director confirmed he had also spoken with the actor about finding a new character for him to play somewhere down the line, saying: “I would love to put Henry in something.” That might seem a long shot, but there is precedent for it. Jason Momoa was the DCEU’s Aquaman, another character with no future in Gunn’s rebooted universe. However, he’s instead coming back to play Lobo, starting with 2026’s Supergirl. If it can happen with Momoa then, maybe, it can happen with Cavill too, who deserves more chances to shine, even if it’s not as Superman.
Superman is now streaming on HBO Max, which is where you can also find Man of Steel.
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