Image: IMDb
He may have come back from the dead, but he won’t be coming back to our screens.
According to a The Hollywood Reporter, Henry Cavill is officially leaving the role of Superman in the DC Film Universe, following rumors of the actor’s departure.
Warner Bros. had planned for Cavill—who played the hero in Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, and Justice League—to make a cameo in the upcoming superhero flick Shazam!, but a source says this fell apart due to scheduling issues. (This may or may not have something to do with Cavill’s new role in the Netflix Witcher series.) Soon after, the source said contract negotiations fell apart, officially ending Cavill’s tenure as Clark Kent/Superman.
The actor responded to the reports with a cryptic (or should we say kryptic?) Instagram video. The post shows Cavil lifting a Superman action figure into the frame and then bringing it back down.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnpPIrmFN9n/?taken-by=henrycavill
Warner Bros. and Cavill’s agent both responded to the reports. Warner Bros. gave an official statement, saying nothing is official yet:
“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, Dany Garcia, tweeted about the news. He said: ““Be peaceful, the cape is still in his closet. Warner has been and continues to be our partners as they evolve the DC Universe.”
Cavill is not the only actor who may be leaving his character in the DC Universe. Ben Affleck is not expected to reprise the role of Batman either.
This departure wouldn’t completely upend plans for the DC Universe, as focus shifts to the upcoming Supergirl movie, which is believed to take place long before the most recent iteration of Superman was saving the world.
This wouldn’t be a complete reset for the DC Universe either, as other members of the Justice League are set to reprise their roles in solo films. Gal Gadot will return as Wonder Woman in Wonder Woman 1984, Jason Momoa will star again as Aquaman this December, and Ezra Miller is slated for a solo Flash movie that will begin filming next year.
This piece has been updated to include Warner Bros.’, Cavill’s, and Garcia’s responses to initial reports.
