Just when Warner Bros. could not possibly screw things up worse than it already has with the DC Extended Universe, or “Worlds of DC,” it does exactly that. According to an article released on Sept. 12 by The Hollywood Reporter, actor Henry Cavill (“Mission Impossible: Fallout”) has reportedly parted ways with the studio and, in turn, the iconic role that gave him his claim to fame, Superman.
The 35-year-old Brit has portrayed the classic Kryptonian from Kansas three times already. He first donned the red-and-blue suit in 2013’s “Man of Steel,” followed by 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and last year’s abysmal “Justice League,” all helmed by director Zack Snyder (“Watchmen”). At least, that is what it says on paper (looking at you, Joss Whedon!). However, although nothing has been officially confirmed or denied, it is unlikely that fans will see Cavill slap on the Clark Kent glasses and red cape anytime soon, or ever again, for that matter.
For fans who may be confused as to how this entire situation came about, it all started with “Shazam!” Warner Bros. had been in talks with Cavill, attempting to sign him up for a Superman cameo in the upcoming “Worlds of DC” film starring Zachary Levi (“Thor: The Dark World”). Unfortunately, contract talks fell apart between representatives of both Warner Bros. and Cavill for “Shazam!”, and now, it appears that both sides have stepped away from pursuing any other potential Superman appearances with Cavill as the character.
For people who have been following the Greek-like tragedy that is the DC Extended Universe, which now goes by “Worlds of DC,” this piece of news, while still just a rumor, comes as a major shock and completely out of left field. For starters, if one were to bet money on which DC actor would leave the franchise first, almost everybody would put all their chips on Ben Affleck (“Gone Girl”). The actor has had fans confused, to say the least, for the past year as to whether or not he would appear as Batman again in the planned film with Matt Reeves (“War for the Planet of the Apes”) at the helm. Furthermore, with Affleck recently re-entering rehab for alcohol addiction treatment, it is basically confirmed, yet not confirmed, that his time as Batman is finished.
On the flip side, however, Cavill was virtually the polar opposite of Affleck. Cavill has stated repeatedly that he would be down to play Superman as many times as it would take to tell a complete arc for the character. He has routinely showcased his love for the character at comic cons as well, which is all the more reason why hearing his name next to the phrase “leaving DC” before Affleck’s was surprising to say the least.
Following the news, the public was treated to press statements, all of which confirmed absolutely nothing and confused fans even further. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. said, “While no decisions have been made regarding any upcoming Superman films, we’ve always had great respect for and a great relationship with Henry Cavill, and that remains unchanged.”
Cavill’s manager urged people to remain calm and that the “cape is still in his closet,” with nothing concrete there either. Cavill also posted an Instagram video of himself staring into the camera while wearing a shirt that says Krypton and holding a Superman doll, with a caption that reads “Today was exciting, #Superman.” Was this meant to reaffirm his dedication to the character or say goodbye? No one knows because it addresses nothing. This method of dancing around the elephant in the room is yet another reason why people look at DC as incompetent and second fiddle to Marvel in terms of box office returns, popularity and critical acclaim.
As to why this happened, it most likely had something to do with the fact that DC is trying to get a Supergirl movie going, and following the franchise’s weak reputation so far, it is trying to reboot everything that is not named Wonder Woman, to the point of even getting a new studio name. These plans had no room for Superman apparently, and even with Cavill still signed on, fans would not have gotten to see another Superman film for at least five years. However, it now looks like fans are going to have to wait even longer.
Everything is just a rumor right now, but actor Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther”) is now being talked about to replace Cavill, who is signed on to lead a new Netflix property based off “The Witcher” video game series. It is most unfortunate because, out of all the bad that came out of this “Worlds of DC” experiment, Cavill as Superman was not one of them.
Image from Warner Bros. Entertainment via YouTube.com
