Less than two months after personally confirming his full-time return as Superman in future DCEU projects, it has now been announced that Henry Cavill will no longer be appearing onscreen as the Man of Steel.
โI have just had a meeting with [DC Studios Co-Heads] James Gunn and Peter Safran and itโs sad news, everyone. I will, after all, not be returning as Superman,โ Henry Cavill revealed once again via Instagram.
โAfter being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hiring, the news isnโt the easiest, but thatโs life. The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that.โ
โJames 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.โ
Cavill added: โFor those who have been by my side through the yearsโฆ we can mourn for a but, but then we must rememberโฆ Superman is still around. Everything he stands for still exists, and the examples he sets for us are still there!โ
โMy turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will. Itโs been a fun ride with you all, onwards and upwards!โ
According to Variety, insiders say James Gunn has been working on the new Superman story for some time now. The screenplay will reportedly focus on Clark Kentโs life as a cub reporter in Metropolis, with audiences set to witness him encountering key characters, such as colleague/romantic interest Lois Lane.
Additionally, sources indicate the new Gunn project wonโt replace the already-announced J.J. Abrams-Ta-Nehisi Coates Superman concept (which is still very much in active development).
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Original Article โ Henry Cavill Returns As Superman, Out Of The Running For 007
Turns out that surprise mid-credit cameo in Black Adam starring Dwayne Johnson wasnโt a one-off deal as Henry Cavill personally confirms his full-time return as Superman in future DCEU projects, effectively ending his campaign to become the next James Bond post-Daniel Craig.
โThe image you see in this post and what you saw at the end of Black Adam are just a very small taste of things to come,โ Henry Cavill noted in an Instagram post featuring quite a brooding snapshot of himself as Superman.
This comes to light as multiple reports indicate Man of Steel 2 is once again in development, roughly a decade after the first instalment directed by Zack Snyder and produced by Christopher Nolan; and five years since his last appearance as Clark Kent / Kal-El / Superman in Snyderโs Justice League. To date, Cavill has donned the iconic red cape on four separate (but very connected) occasions.
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While this undoubtedly marks a win for DC, DC fans, as well as Henry Cavill himself, it is to our opinion that the latterโs renewed commitment to the former marks a loss for the Bond franchise.
As weโve noted on previous occasions, the 39-year-old actor of Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Mission: Impossible โ Fallout fame has already proven heโd make the perfect 007. To the point Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn cast the man in his own upcoming spy thriller Argylle for that very reason.
โI needed someone who was born to play Bond โ which Henry is โ and then nick him before Bond did,โ Matthew Vaughn told The Hollywood Reporter.
โHe plays a larger-than-life action hero with a wink. Itโs very different from Kingsman.โ
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Back in 2005, when the franchise was seeking a new direction, the candidate for Pierce Brosnanโs replacement had been narrowed down to just Henry Cavill and Daniel Craig.
A key reason why Cavill was rejected essentially came down to age. While New Zealand director Martin Campbell โ who also helmed GoldenEye โ had apparently championed the young gun, longtime James Bond producers and the suits over at Eon Productions ultimately decided an older face would be far more appropriate. Plus thereโs no denying it wouldโve objectively felt ridiculous watching a uni kid portray 007.
A little more recently, Cavill revealed he wasnโt exactly in the best shape during the audition processโ final dash, either.
โIt was his tough love way of saying, โLook, mateโฆ youโre in a Bond screen test. Next time you come to a screen test, really focus hard on making sure you lean up if itโs for something like Bond,โโ Henry Cavill recounted being told in an exchange with Campbell.
โAnd I wasnโt by any means chubby, but I was probably overweight for taking my shirt off on camera.โ
At this stage, however, who knows? Perhaps neither longtime James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson nor DC will mind sharing Henry Cavill. As the Cavill himself once said:
โIn an ideal world, Iโd never have to turn anything down. Nothing is off the table. Itโs an honour to even be part of that conversation.โ
Now read everything we know about the next James Bond here.
