James Gunn and Peter Safran hope you enjoyed that Superman cameo Black Adambecause that’s the end of the line for it Henry Cavill as Superman. In October, before Gunn and Safran were hired to pilot the ship at DC Studios, Cavill excitedly announced to his fans that he was returning as Superman, hoping to appear in more films as the Man of Steel for a while longer. His appearance in Black Adam was meant to tease more movies featuring Cavill and has left fans hopeful Man of steel 2 finally happening.
But just as quickly as Cavill slipped back into the leotard, his return to the role of Superman is now over. Both Gunn and Cavill made this official by announcing this news on social media following a meeting that apparently made this fact clear. Cavill posted a statement on his Instagram account expressing his sadness at the news, though he still seems grateful for the “fun ride” he’s had with the character.
“I just met with James Gunn and Peter Safran and it’s sad news, everyone,” Cavill says in the post. “After all, I won’t be returning as Superman. After the studio told me to announce my return in October, ahead of their hiring, this news isn’t the easiest, but such is life. The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter need to build a universe. I wish them and everyone involved in the new universe the best of luck and the happiest of luck.”
He added: “For those who have been by my side over the years…..we can grieve for a moment but then we have to remember…Superman is still here. All he stands for, still exists, and the examples he sets for us are still there! My turn to wear the cape is over, but what Superman stands for will never happen. It’s been a fun ride with you all, onwards and upwards. ‘
James Gunn has other plans for Superman
Meanwhile, James Gunn has also spoken out on the situation with his own post Twitter. He also references the encounter he had with Cavill, noting that they may collaborate on something else in the future. Gunn also clarifies that the plan is to reboot Superman for the DCU with a younger version of the character played by someone other than Cavill.
“Peter and I have a DC slate ready to go, which we couldn’t be happier about; we’ll be able to share exciting information about our first projects at the start of the new year,” Gunn said. “Among those on the slate is Superman. In the early stages, our story will focus on an earlier part of Superman’s life, so the character won’t be played by Henry Cavill. But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we’re We’re big fans and we talked about some exciting opportunities to work together in the future.”
In a follow-up tweet, Gunn confirms that he is also writing the screenplay himself, but that it is not yet clear who will direct. He also says it won’t be an original story, even if it follows a younger Superman. Now that Gunn and Safran know what they want to do with the Man of Steel, more updates may be coming soon.