Henry Cavill aspires for a more motivational Superman in the DC Universe moving forward after his return in Black Adam.
The 2013 film Man of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder, marked the British actor’s first appearance as Superman and served as the catalyst for what was once known as the DC Extended Universe. Similar to Man of Steel, Cavill’s subsequent appearances in Zack Snyder’s films Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League received varying reviews and poor box office performance. Superman lost popularity once the director left the series, and rumours suggested Cavill wouldn’t return either.
During the post-credits scene for Black Adam, Cavill triumphantly returned as Superman after a protracted period of doubt. There is a lot of hope for Superman’s future in the franchise as a result of the unexpected cameo appearance, which marked his return to the DC Universe. After the release of Black Adam, Cavill expressed on social media that the post-credits scene was “only a very small taste of what’s to come” and hinted to a promising future for his character in the DC Universe alongside “an incredibly joyous Superman.”
Now, Cavill is teasing his aspirations for Superman’s future in the DC Universe in an exclusive interview with Screen Rant for Enola Holmes 2. While there are still many unknowns, the actor expects to see a more motivational portrayal of Superman in the movies. He said the following:
There is so much in the way of conversations to be had. Obviously, I have a very close connection to the character. And there is something extraordinarily special about him; extraordinarily special about his capacity to give and to love. I don’t mean romantically; I mean his love for Earth and for the people who live here, and to make people feel powerful—to make people feel like Superman themselves.
I have plenty of desires for this, of course, which will be discussed more in time. But the most important thing, which I will be aiming for, is for the audience to leave the cinema and to feel like they can fly, to feel like they can protect, and to feel like they want to give to everyone else. That would be my goal.
It is noteworthy that Cavill expressed his desire for a Superman portrayal that is more upbeat and motivating than what was presented in Snyder’s flicks. Batman v Superman continued Zack Snyder’s grim and gloomy portrayal of the Kryptonian hero, while Man of Steel introduced a more sombre tone to the superhero. The contentious theatrical version of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which heavily relied on Joss Whedon’s reshoots, was vastly superior, but the Snyder cut was much more depressing. Both Man of Steel and Batman v Superman underperformed at the box office, in part because of how depressingly they portrayed the Kryptonian hero.
With Cavill now confirmed to appear in upcoming movies, the DC Universe has the ability to profit from a more upbeat portrayal of Superman, exactly as the actor has shown an interest in seeing. This could start with Man of Steel 2, which could serve as asoft reboot for the lead character and, depending on the writers and directors chosen, could shift the DC Extended Universe awayfrom Zack Snyder’s grim and gloomy portrayal of Superman and toward something that is more in line with the ideals of the hero, such as truth, justice, and hope.
The end outcome might possibly be a Superman movie that both reviewers and viewers will like.
Written by Riaz Osman
