After his return to Black AdamHenry Cavill expresses his hope for a more inspiring Superman in the DC universe moving forward. The British actor made his debut as Superman in 2013 Man of Steel which, directed by Zack Snyder, was intended to jump-start the movie franchise, formerly known as the DC Extended Universe. Like Man of Steel, the return of Cavill in the following parts of Snyder, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, received mixed reactions and disappointing box office results. When the filmmaker left the franchise, Superman fell by the wayside and reports indicated that Cavill wouldn’t be coming back either.
After a long period of uncertainty, Cavill returned triumphantly as Superman during… Black Adam‘s post credits scene. The surprise cameo appearance marked Superman’s return to the DCU and has given much hope for his future in the franchise. Next Black Adam‘s release, Cavill took to social media to say the post-credits scene was “a tiny taste of what’s to comeand later teased a bright future for his hero in the DCU along with “a very happy Superman.”
Now, during an exclusive interview with screen frenzy in front of Enola Holmes 2Cavill continues to tease his hopes for Superman’s future in the DCU. While much is still unclear at this point, the actor hopes to see a more inspiring portrayal of Superman in future films. Read his full comments below:
There is so much in the way of the conversations that need to be had. Obviously I have a very close relationship with the character. And there is something extremely special about him; extraordinary about his ability to give and love. I don’t mean romantic; I mean his love for the earth and for the people who live here, and to make people feel powerful – to make people feel like they are Superman themselves.
I have many wishes for this, of course, which will be discussed more in due course. But the most important thing, what I strive for, is for the audience to leave the cinema feeling like they can fly, feel like they can protect and feel like they want to give to everyone. That would be my goal.
How DCU Can Take Advantage of a More Hopeful Superman
It’s worth noting that Cavill expresses his hopes for a more cheerful and inspiring portrayal of Superman, as this is in stark contrast to how the character was portrayed in Snyder’s films. Man of Steel started with a more serious tonal approach to the superhero and Batman vs Superman continued Snyder’s dark and stern portrayal of the Kryptonian hero. While Zack Snyder’s Justice League was a vast improvement over the controversial theatrical version with heavy reshoots from Joss Whedon, the Snyder cut was considerably more somber. Man of Steel and Batman vs Superman also both disappointed at the box office, in part because of their joyless portrayal of the Kryptonian hero.
Now that Cavill is poised to return for future films, the DCU has a chance to capitalize on a more hopeful portrayal of Superman, just as the actor indicated when seeing it. This could start with Man of Steel 2 which could serve as a soft reboot for the titular hero and, depending on which writer and director is hired, move the DCU away from Snyder’s dark and gloomy portrayal of Superman and towards something more in line with the hero’s ideals, such as truth, justice and hope. Maybe the result would be a Superman film that both critics and audiences can enjoy.
