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Henry Cavill became a global star when he took on the role of Superman in Zack Snyder’sMan of Steel. He reprised the role inBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeandJustice League. He also had a cameo inBlack Adamand he returned to the role inZack Snyder’s Justice League.
The former would be his last appearance as the superhero as he had to depart after James Gunn decided to revamp the DCU. During his time as Superman, Cavill received polarizing responses to his iteration as it was a grittier and edgier version of the legendary character. In an interview, Henry Cavill mentioned the pressures that came with the character.
Also read:DC Writer Absolutely Hated Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman 2 Despite Adoring Her in Zack Snyder’s $874 Million Movie
Henry Cavill As Superman In The DCU
Before he made his debut as Superman inMan of Steel,Henry Cavillhad come close to playing the iconic superhero when a solo film by director McG was in the works. He was cast in McG’s iteration of Superman but the film fell through and his replacement Bryan Singer ended up casting Brandon Routh as Clark Kent inSuperman Returns.
Cavill also lost out on the role of James Bond after he was up against Daniel Craig. At a time when he felt like a jinx, he finally turned his luck when Zack Snyder cast him as Superman inMan of Steel, which would kickstart a shared cinematic universe with other DC characters. Cavill’s performance and the film received polarizing reviews, yet he returned for the sequel,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Also read:“People think Kryptonite can beat him. No”: Henry Cavill Knows the Only Thing Deadlier Than Kryptonite for Superman
Regarding playing Superman in the DCU, Cavill toldThe Guardianthat he was excited to continue playing the role. He said,
“There’s a huge potential there for complex storytelling, and I’m looking forward to exploring those avenues. Come on, it’s Superman! You can’t be p*ssed off at the idea of playing Superman for the rest of your life.”
Cavill returned to the role again inJustice Leagueand the Zack Snyder version of the film. While he was touted to return after a cameo inBlack Adam, he had to finally depart after James Gunn mentioned that he would be revamping the DCU with a younger Superman.
Also read:1 Upcoming Movie Can Give Us Henry Cavill vs Dwayne Johnson Unlike Black Adam, Get Back at James Gunn
Henry Cavill Talks About The Dark Side Of Playing Superman
While Henry Cavill has since been seen as a perfect candidate for the iconic superhero, he revealed that playing the character came with certain perks. He spoke about the negatives of playing an iconic character such as Superman, especially in the world of social media. He revealed that he had a negative body image at times as he felt had to meet the standards of Superman. He said,
“I tell myself, ‘Mate, you’re a mess. If you were to meet a bird out in a bar and bring her home, she’s expecting Superman. This is not Superman and she’s going to be mega-disappointed.’…‘Don’t make a d*ck out of yourself’ is a good rule, whoever you are. Besides, it’s a character.”
Cavill also admitted to sometimes checking up on people’s opinions online and then being affected by it when faced with negative opinions. He mentioned that while playing the character was a blessing, it was also a curse as he would be subjected to intense scrutiny off-screen when he was not playing the character. He said,
“You have your dark moments when you go on the internet forums. You’re peeking behind the curtain. You wonder, ‘What are people saying about me? Oh, that’s nice. Oh, how lovely.’ But then you find one that isn’t…You think, ‘Why are they being so nasty?’ Then you start shaping your behavior around the comments, and that’s not OK. That’s not healthy.”
While Cavill did face intense scrutiny and backlash, he was also widely accepted by fans, especially near the end of his tenure and after David Corenswet was cast as Superman in James Gunn’sSuperman: Legacy.
Also read:DC Fans Mourn Warner Bros.’s Messy Downgrade in The Flash a Decade After Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2417
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
