Henry Cavill or Tyler Hoechlin? Whose SUPERMAN Is Better?

Henry Cavill or Tyler Hoechlin? Whose SUPERMAN Is Better? Henry Cavill or Tyler Hoechlin? Whose SUPERMAN Is Better?

Though both have been established for several years now; we want to know - which Superman is better? Henry Cavill's, or Tyler Hoechlin's?

Feature Opinion
By JonathanDan - Oct 03, 2023 03:10 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman

Though a reboot for the DC Universe (now known as the DCU) is imminent, the first film of this new shared universe is set to kick-off with Superman: Legacy - written by James Gunn.

While the new Superman in Gunn's DCU has officially been confirmed to be played by actor David Corenswet; to take a look back this past decade at two of the live-action Superman we were given - Tyler Hoechlin and Henry Cavill - each of the two with their own respective fanbases, and decide, who is better?

Although Cavill's reign as the Man of Steel has come to a much short-sighted end, and Hoechlin's series - Superman & Lois, has at least one more season, the two actors have done a phenomenal job of playing the Last Son of Krypton - despite those who have nothing but negative feedback to say about their portrayals. 

Sure, Henry Cavill's Superman has been around much longer than Hoechlin's - since 2013, but Hoechlin's Superman has had more appearances as Superman; this includes: Superman & Lois, CW's Supergirl, CW's The Flash, CW's Arrow, & CW's DC's Legends of Tomorrow.

Fans additionally bicker against Superman's personality - a big and foremost aspect of the character which should be done right. 

Zack Snyder's take on Superman was of course dark and stern - though the character had his moments in the DCEU during Joss Whedon's Justice League (however, we do not speak of that monstrosity), and Hoechlin's Superman was led in a direction consisting of the character being less alienated, and more radiant and joyful.

James Gunn plans to interpret David Corenswet's Superman in the same way that Hoechlin's Superman was sculpted: more humane, less alienated, and a more established character within the DC Universe (Arrowverse in this case).

The choice is yours - which Superman is your favorite? 

Superman: Legacy is set for a theatrical release date in July of 2025, and no delays have been imminent in spite of the SAG-AFTRA strike pressumably coming to an end.

Tyler Hoechlin stars in Superman & Lois - an American superhero drama television series developed for The CW by Todd Helbing and Greg Berlanti, based on the DC Comics characters Superman and Lois Lane, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch star as the title characters Clark Kent / Superman, Earth's greatest superhero, and Lois Lane, a world-renowned journalist. Jordan Elsass and Alex Garfin portray the couple's twin sons Jonathan and Jordan Kent, with Michael Bishop replacing the former in the third season. The series also stars Erik Valdez, Inde Navarrette, Wolé Parks, Adam Rayner, Dylan Walsh, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Tayler Buck, Sofia Hasmik, and Chad L. Coleman.

Henry Cavill starred in Man of Steel - a 2013 superhero film based on the DC Comics character Superman. Directed by Zack Snyder, the story was developed by David S. Goyer and producer Christopher Nolan, with Goyer writing the screenplay. The film was a reboot of the Superman film series, depicting the character's origin story, and it is the first installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). 

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Forthas - 10/3/2023, 3:50 PM
Henry Cavill...all day and all year!
FireandBlood - 10/3/2023, 3:51 PM
Christopher Reeve
TheSuperMex - 10/3/2023, 3:52 PM
@FireandBlood - this is the right answer.
FireandBlood - 10/3/2023, 3:56 PM
@TheSuperMex -

dracula - 10/3/2023, 4:02 PM
@FireandBlood - true, although id say Tyler is giving him a run for his money
BIGBMH - 10/3/2023, 7:12 PM
@FireandBlood - I don't mean to be hostile, but I wish we could just compare options A and B without someone chiming in with a third option that isn't part of the intended debate. There are plenty of opportunities to argue for Reeve in "Best Superman of All-Time" debates. Shoving him in here just distracts from the more focused conversation about who the better modern Superman is.

And I say this as a fan of Reeve's Superman. There's a time to sing his praises and there's a time to focus on categories that don't include him.
FireandBlood - 10/3/2023, 7:33 PM
@BIGBMH - First of all, no disrespect taken but here’s the thing. There isn’t a good modern Superman, so who cares? Been almost 50 years and not a one of these fools come close to Reeve, so what’s there to debate? Who’s the least shittiest actor? Who had the better muscle padding? Like, c’mon.
Jacory - 10/3/2023, 7:46 PM
@FireandBlood - well ... there is a debate because people disagree with you. I liked Henry as Superman the most. Reeve was legendary, but that doesn't make him better. To each their own though. Also Brandon Routh was much better than he was given credit for.
BIGBMH - 10/3/2023, 7:51 PM
@FireandBlood - That's your opinion. I don't like the Ultimate Spider-man animated series or Spider-man (2017). But if someone poses a question asking which of those two is better, I'm not going to interject "The Spectacular Spider-man!" because I don't believe that contributes to the intended point of discussion. If I don't have a preference between the two options presented, I leave the discussion to those who do.

You asked "who cares?", but both actors have a fair amount of enthusiastic supporters, evidenced by the number of people who selected either one.
TheSuperMex - 10/3/2023, 3:52 PM
I’ve seen one episode of Superman and Lois. In one episode he was better than Cavill’s Superman. The only thing Cavill has over Hoechlin is the look of Superman.
Jacory - 10/3/2023, 7:47 PM
@TheSuperMex - Why?
SteelGunZ - 10/4/2023, 8:44 AM
@TheSuperMex - 1000% agree with your statement!
Forthas - 10/3/2023, 3:54 PM
My preference for Henry Cavill is based ONLY on Man of Steel which I think is a criminally underrated film. But the Superman that Henry Cavill portrayed in BVS is a travesty and an insult to the character. I try not to think about that film and pretend it never happened.
CerealKiller1 - 10/3/2023, 3:54 PM
Overall, it’s Tyler. I don’t dislike Cavill as Superman, just don’t think he was given a good chance to show off a likeable Man of Steel. Could Henry have been better? Maybe. But talking what we have in front of us, it’s Tyler all day, every day
HashTagSwagg - 10/3/2023, 3:56 PM
Affleck's the man
Ha1frican - 10/3/2023, 3:57 PM
Controversial take but over never liked Tyler. He just doesn’t have the presence or look for Superman imo
HashTagSwagg - 10/3/2023, 4:04 PM
@Ha1frican - Hardly Controversial, he's a diet coke Superman, same for Grant Gustin's Flash.
dagenspear - 10/3/2023, 10:59 PM
@HashTagSwagg - But still were stronger characters than either of the current movie actors.
BlackStar25 - 10/3/2023, 3:58 PM
Tyler Hoechlin....And it aint even close.
bcom - 10/3/2023, 4:00 PM
Henry's Superman was poorly conceived and written. He SHOULD'VE been a great Superman, but he was given terrible material to work with. Only for that reason do I think Tyler Hoechlin is the better Superman because the writers of Superman & Lois understood Superman better.
MCUKnight11 - 10/3/2023, 4:03 PM
@bcom - I'll go as far to say that with better material and different circumstances, Cavill and Affleck could've been the best worlds finest we ever saw in a movie.
bcom - 10/3/2023, 4:07 PM
@MCUKnight11 - 100% agree. Both actors were really well cast, but it's the material they had to work with that let them down. At best, I count BvS and JL as 'Elseworlds' takes on those characters as nothing about them feels remotely close to their comics counterparts to me.
dracula - 10/3/2023, 4:00 PM
Tyler is the only of the two to actually play Superman.

Also pulled off similar storylines to what Cavil got, but had better writing and pulled them off without betraying superman's character
HeavyMetal4Life - 10/3/2023, 4:10 PM
Tyler, without a doubt
comicfan100 - 10/3/2023, 4:10 PM
I'm sorry, but those saying Cavill have a very shallow view of who Superman is supposed to be. Tyler embodied him damn near perfectly. Betsy's Lois is also leagues better than Amy's.
Jacory - 10/3/2023, 7:52 PM
@comicfan100 - you basing that off a version who's only had a couple of hours total in screentime in movies to someone who's had hours and seasons worth of episodes to develop a character. That's like saying Mads Mikkelsen is a better Hannibal than Anthony Hopkins, comparing minutes of a movie to hours of a tv show. Put Henry in the show, what happens? ... probably the same as when you put Hopkins in a show, Westworld and The Witcher, not the quality of the show, but their performances in it.
comicfan100 - 10/3/2023, 10:02 PM
@Jacory - Which is why you can't really compare the two fairly. If Cavill's Superman exemplifies anything, it's wasted potential.
Jacory - 10/4/2023, 6:18 PM
@comicfan100 - Not necessarily. The fact that he's had such small screentime, probably the lowest after Brandon Routh, and has had this much impact must mean something. I see what you mean though.
AquaClunge - 10/3/2023, 4:13 PM
Cavill!! Tyler is TV level at best 😅
dracula - 10/3/2023, 4:16 PM
@TheClunges - a lot of times we have gotten better stuff on tv than we got on film.

Cavil is only Superman in name.

It's like comparing Kristie Swanson to Sarah Michelle Gellar. TV wins easily.

(But Swanson is still a better Buffy than Cavil is a Superman)
AquaClunge - 10/3/2023, 6:47 PM
@dracula - nah cavill was way better, Tyler feels like a caricature at times. Sarah Michelle Gellar was great as buffy (in the earlier seasons) as the buffy movie was hot trash imo.
dagenspear - 10/3/2023, 10:58 PM
@TheClunges - Which is still better than being bland, dour and pouty.
ModHaterSLADE - 10/3/2023, 4:47 PM
Tyler easily. He's what I'd hope Cavill's Superman would evolve into after some sequels with better writing for the character.
krayzeman - 10/3/2023, 4:48 PM
Hoechlin. Even though Cavill looks the part Hoechlin IMO is a better actor and IMO plays Clark Kent the best since Christopher Reeve. He's excellent as a Dad raising 2 sons in S&L
Himura - 10/3/2023, 4:53 PM
Hoechlin. I dont doubt Cavill knows the character better than anyone, but he hasnt been able to show it.
cubichy - 10/3/2023, 4:53 PM
I do like Tyler and am almost caught up on episodes, Henry Cavill is superman, no question. it's like little league baseball to major league, no comparison. Cavill inherited it from Reeves, hopefully Gunn can make superman relevant again.
dagenspear - 10/3/2023, 10:57 PM
@cubichy - How is he Superman?
dragon316 - 10/3/2023, 5:06 PM
Henry cavil
AnthonyVonGeek - 10/3/2023, 5:06 PM
We all know that Charlie Sheens “Topperman” was the best.
MadThanos - 10/3/2023, 5:35 PM
@AnthonyVonGeek - pure magic
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