Update: Looks like TechRadar has pounced on the money with one of our “what’s next for Henry Cavill” suggestions!
Behind Deadline (opens in a new tab), Cavill is casting numerous film and television roles at various studios – one of which includes the Warhammer 40,000 project. According to the report, Amazon Studios is developing a movie based on the fan-favorite tabletop game, and given Cavill’s affinity for the RPG series, we think he would be perfect for the role.
At the end of this article we wrote yesterday (December 15), we mentioned that a Warhammer-centric production would be an ideal candidate for Cavill’s next project. If Deadline’s report is true, we’ll certainly be glad to know that one of our suggestions turned out to be right. With that much foresight, maybe we should buy a lottery ticket this weekend…
The original story follows. Additionally, major spoilers come with Black Adam and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
It’s the end of an era (again), Superman fans – Henry Cavill will not be returning as the Man of Steel in the revamped DC Universe (DCU).
Confirmed by Cavill and new DC Studios co-director James Gunn on social media, the popular actor will not be donning Superman’s iconic red cape in the future. Yes, it’s like a kryptonite dagger to the hearts of DC fans everywhere.
Among those on the plaque is Superman. In the early stages, our story will focus on Superman’s earlier life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill.December 15, 2022
The shocking revelation comes just two months after Cavill’s return as Superman in a post-credits scene of Black Adam. Cavill’s appearance strongly implied he had signed on to reprise his famous role in the DCU, a reboot of the increasingly disconnected DC Extended Universe (DCEU). If you’re interested, you can learn how to watch the DCEU movies in order with our trustworthy guide. You know, before this cinematic universe is shut down for good.
Anyway, back to Cavill’s Superman. There has even been speculation that a Man of Steel 2 is in development – starring Cavill – after his appearance in Black Adam as part of Gunn and co-director Peter Safran’s DCU master plan.
However, recent rumors have suggested that Man of Steel 2 is not moving forward after all, and Cavill may not even return. And now, in a lengthy Twitter thread, Gunn has confirmed that these reports are true. Instead, Gunn and Safran are moving forward with a young Superman movie that Cavill is not a part of, which almost confirms that the door has slammed shut behind his time as Clark Kent.
With the era of Superman seemingly over, what’s next for Cavill?
For starters, a shocking return to Netflix’s The Witcher Verse is extremely unlikely.
In November, Cavill revealed that he would not return to the role of Geralt of Rivia after the premiere of the next installment of the fantasy series – season 3 of The Witcher – in mid-2023. The official reason for Cavill’s departure was not given, but industry experts claimed that he did not get along with The Witcher’s creative team regarding the series’ departure from the source material. He will be replaced by Liam Hemsworth as of season 4, and showrunner Lauren Hissrich says he “fully understands” why fans of the series are outraged by Cavill’s departure.
Whatever Cavill’s reasons for putting down Geralt’s sword, we’d be amazed if he made a U-turn and returned to one of Netflix’s best shows (in our opinion, anyway). It wouldn’t be fair to deprive Hemsworth of this opportunity, especially if he signed a multi-year deal to play Geralt – assuming the show gets renewed for more seasons. Additionally, if Cavill wasn’t thrilled with the creative direction of Netflix’s The Witcher series, his return could be interpreted as groveling back to his old job, especially if his current options are limited.
An actor of Cavill’s caliber won’t be out of work for long though, so don’t assume he’ll be returning to the continent.
What else could suit Cavill? It’s regularly linked with taking on the James Bond mantle – read how to watch the James Bond movies in order – so could a turn as 007 be on the cards?
We’ll rewrite this as “extremely unlikely.” Sure, Cavill would make a great Bond. He has the physicality, charisma and quintessential Britishness to successfully play the role. However, at 39, one has to ask oneself if this is the right age to play Bond for an extended period of time, while Bond producer Barbara Broccoli says she wants the next actor in the series to earn “10 to 10”. 12 years of commitment” in this role.
Would Cavill want to follow in the footsteps of Daniel Craig (who was also 39 when he first signed on as Bond) and commit to another iconic role in multiple films? In our opinion, probably not. Plus, she’s already set to star in Argylle, an upcoming spy movie for Apple TV Plus. Would Cavill really want to be associated with two spy franchises?
How about a TV project that wouldn’t lock Cavill up too long on a multi-year deal and would be a live-action adaptation of one of his favorite video game franchises?
A step forward Mass Effect. In December 2021, Cavill told TechRadar that he “would be interested” in the role of Commander Shepherd in a potential Mass Effect TV series if the opportunity presented itself. Cavill’s revelation came after rumors surfaced online – based on one of his Instagram posts – that he was set to star in the TV show Mass Effect on Prime Video.
Amazon Studios is slowly assembling an exciting list of TV adaptations of fan favorite video games. A live-action Fallout series is in the works, and just last night (December 14), a TV show based on the award-winning 2018 game God of War was made was announced for Prime Video (opens in a new tab). Why not add Mass Effect to the pile and hire Cavill to star in it? It would be a huge feat for Amazon if it did, especially since Amazon would grab one of Netflix’s best-selling stars following his departure from The Witcher.
Speaking of competition, Marvel could break through DC by grabbing Cavill for the MCU role. Cavill has previously denied claims he was set to play Hyperion in Loki’s second season, but there’s sure to be a role that’s perfect for him (even if it’s a one-off) as part of Marvel’s cinematic juggernaut. How about Sentry, who is rumored to be the villain of the upcoming Marvel Phase 5 Thunderbolts movie? Cavill has a background in playing bad guys – albeit a minor one – with his portrayal of August Walker in Mission Impossible: Fallout his most famous antagonistic role. Had he been hired as someone like the Sentry, seeing Cavill as a villain wouldn’t have been a foreign concept to viewers.
If we’re staying in geek territory, why not cast Cavill as the lead in the new live-action Warhammer movie? He is a big fan of board games – surely it would be his (and Warhammer fans around the world) dream to star in a film based on Games Workshop’s fantasy series or its alternative to Warhammer 40,000?
Finally, why not just bring him back as Superman? In his Twitter thread, Gunn confirmed that he and Cavill we discussed other DCU capabilities (opens in a new tab) it can be good for an actor. Well, the Man of Steel is perfect for him already. And if the DCU eventually discovers its own multiverse (apart from the DCEU’s own approach, of course), Cavilla’s Superman could pull in the crowds in the future as part of any multiverse team.
Spider-Man: No Way Home has done an amazing (pun intended) job bringing Tom Holland, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men together on the big screen. Meanwhile, Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its upcoming sequel Across the Spider-Verse, as well as the MCU, are currently exploring comic book-based multiverses. Why wouldn’t DC take a cue from the Marvel and Sony books and do the same with the DCU and let Cavill return one last time? Over you, Jacob and Peter.
For more DC-based content, read how to watch the Batman movies in order. You can also find out which DCEU movies made our list of the best superhero movies.