James Gunn Cleared the Air: He Wasn’t Behind Henry Cavill’s Superman Dismissal

As a long-time fan and follower of DC movies, I can’t help but feel a sense of disappointment and frustration that’s reminiscent of trying to catch Lois Lane’s attention while balancing a tray full of Metropolis Daily Planet coffee. The rollercoaster ride of Henry Cavill’s Superman has been nothing short of an epic tale, filled with hope, heartbreak, and more twists than a kryptonite-infused pretzel.


It’s likely you’re aware that Henry Cavill played Superman in the unsuccessful DCEU. His last portrayal was subtly suggested in the film Black Adam, which faced challenges both from critics and financially. In a post-credits scene, Cavill made an appearance, potentially setting up a future confrontation between two formidable characters.

Initially, it was briefly confirmed that Cavill would resume his role, with plans for a separate film, but less than a month afterward, the studio discontinued the DC Extended Universe following the announcement of Cavill’s comeback.

Following the release of “Black Adam”, many were taken aback by how poorly it performed, considering the intriguing post-credits scene hinting at Henry Cavill’s Superman. The prospect of a new “Man of Steel” installment and an expanded part for Black Adam within the DCEU looked promising.

Nevertheless, when the movie didn’t succeed, WB decision-makers opted to break down the entire universe, even though Cavill was told to announce his return as Superman. A few weeks afterwards, the studio acknowledged Cavill’s departure and disclosed that there were no further plans for either Black Adam or Cavill’s Superman.

Due to the criticism James Gunn encountered, rumors surfaced suggesting that his goal was to rejuvenate the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) by replacing the current cast members. This speculation arose following his work on ‘Peacemaker’ and ‘Suicide Squad’.

A significant surprise occurred several months ago when James Gunn and Peter Safran presented their new DC Universe lineup, which included a film called “Superman: Legacy”. Remarkably, the film’s summary implied that Gunn was planning a younger Superman character, despite his repeated assertions that it wasn’t an origin story.

This was confirmed with the casting of David Corenswet in the role. Gunn later clarified that he had nothing to do with Cavill’s departure. In fact, Warner Bros. had already hired him to write the script for Legacy before Black Adam was even released.

It was. I was hired to write Superman Legacy over six months ago.

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) February 19, 2023

It’s clear that Gunn isn’t responsible for this situation. The studio seemed to employ Superman as a way to boost Black Adam and hid their DCEU reboot plans. Even though the cameo didn’t improve the movie’s box office results, it does bring up an intriguing question: why did they tell Cavill to validate those rumors? The reasoning behind the hints, insinuations, and teases makes sense, but was it truly essential for Cavill to publicly verify a new Man of Steel film was in development?

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2024-09-13 12:43