The DC Comics’ cinematic universe may be in need of a new Superman. According to an exclusive source from The Hollywood Reporter, Henry Cavill has exited the role of Superman for Warner Bros., marking the end of rumored negotiations regarding future appearances as the Man of Steel.
A studio source told The Hollywood Reporter that “Superman is like James Bond, and after a certain run you have to look at new actors”. Cavill first appeared as Superman in Zack Snyder’s 2013 film titled Man of Steel, and his last appearance in 2017’s Justice League marked just his third time in the role. Cavill’s exit apparently came after scheduling conflicts caused his cameo deal for the Shazam! film to break down. However, Cavill just recently made headlines across the internet after signing on to star in the Netflix series The Witcher, indicating this may have been a part of Warner Bros. new strategy.
One studio insider told The Hollywood Reporter that “There’s a recognition that some parts of the previous movies didn’t work,” and another who claims that Warner Bros. is attempting to hit “reset” on the DC cinematic universe. All of this suggests that Warner Bros. notices the lack of success from DC’s current films and is willing to make drastic changes in order to move in another direction.
Although neither side has confirmed these reports, this latest development could potentially correlate with the constant rumors of Affleck’s departure as Batman. It could be a unique opportunity to usher in new actors for two of DC’s most popular superheroes and reignite their cinematic success.
At a recent investor conference on September 6th, new WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey gave some brief insight into this potential reset of the DC Universe, saying “Hats off to Kevin (Warner Bros. CEO) and Toby (Warner Bros. Pictures Group Chairman) and their team…Some of our franchises, in particular at DC, we all think we can do better.”