Henry Cavill Hoped To Play A Truly Heroic Superman After JUSTICE LEAGUE's Villainous Take On The Man Of Steel

Henry Cavill Hoped To Play A Truly Heroic Superman After JUSTICE LEAGUE's Villainous Take On The Man Of Steel

Henry Cavill reflects on his journey as Superman, revealing where he hoped to take the Man of Steel following the character's turn to the dark side in Zack Snyder's Justice League. Read on for details...

By JoshWilding - Nov 23, 2021 06:11 AM EST
Filed Under: Man of Steel
Source: GQ

As we learned in Zack Snyder's Justice League earlier this year, the original plan for Superman was to fall under Darkseid's control and seemingly become a full-blown villain. Time travel would have ultimately set things right, of course, but these dark plans for the Man of Steel likely factored into Warner Bros.' decision to reshoot the movie with Joss Whedon and take Supes down a more heroic route.

As it happens, that's something Henry Cavill was hoping for after completing Snyder's vision for the character. During a recent interview, the actor explained how he wanted to better explore Kal-El before embracing the comic books to deliver the Superman we all know and love. 

"I was very keen on really fleshing out Superman's early stages of his journey first," said the actor. "We had Man of Steel, and then we went quite a bit darker with Batman v Superman. And if he were to succumb to the Anti-Life Equation, and become bad Superman, I really wanted to make sure we saw the hero Superman, and we saw the true symbol of hope, the beacon of light, before we went down the path of darkness and then redemption."

Before you get too disappointed wondering what might have been, Cavill was quick to say that "it's still something that I am very keen to flesh out."

Whether he's going to get that opportunity remains to be seen, but it would be crazy for Warner Bros. to ignore his very public interest in continuing to play Superman. Clearly, the actor wants to portray the lighter, heroic Man of Steel the studio is after, so a deal really needs to be struck at this point.

Check out the full interview with Cavill below: 
 

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PrinceOfPersia
PrinceOfPersia - 11/23/2021, 6:52 AM
Get him back for Man of Steel 2, and you can introduce the black superman in that movie, with Brainiac as the villain.
GwenLantern
GwenLantern - 11/23/2021, 9:28 AM
@PrinceOfPersia - Brainiac changes reality and Henry Cavill turns into black Superman?
PrinceOfPersia
PrinceOfPersia - 11/23/2021, 9:43 AM
@GwenLantern - lol if that happens people are going to start riots
GwenLantern
GwenLantern - 11/23/2021, 9:51 AM
@PrinceOfPersia -
SteelGunZ
SteelGunZ - 11/23/2021, 10:59 AM
@PrinceOfPersia - That would be nice BUT they would find a way to F___ it up!
PrinceOfPersia
PrinceOfPersia - 11/23/2021, 11:40 AM
@SteelGunZ - Most probably, unless they get a good writer and director, and give them the freedom to make the movie and don't interfere too much. I think if they can get someone who understands superman well, like how it seems Reeves understands Batman, then we can have a great superman movie.
RageDriver2401
RageDriver2401 - 11/23/2021, 6:54 AM
Imagine getting cast as Superman only to realise you'll be playing the most castrated version of the character for years to come.
Fogs
Fogs - 11/23/2021, 9:07 AM
@RageDriver2401 - Totally
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 11/23/2021, 6:55 AM
He was a good Batman
Origame
Origame - 11/23/2021, 7:09 AM
@TheWalkingCuban - he was a better wonder woman.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 11/23/2021, 7:54 AM
@Origame - and he was the best green lantern
bcom
bcom - 11/23/2021, 6:57 AM
Henry deserves a good Superman movie. He was given terrible material to work with from a director and writer who never properly understood what makes Superman Superman.

Further more, Henry really ‘gets’ Superman. The guy is a fan. I’d love it if WB let him choose a writer and director who also get Superman and just let them go for it.
GwenLantern
GwenLantern - 11/23/2021, 9:25 AM
@bcom - Sam Raimi would make a classic Superman movie.

It's a shame WB are determined to get a black director for their next Superman movie (I mean it's not a shame because the shortlist was killer and I'd love a Regina King Superman movie) but Raimi in the director's chair would be amazing.

OK, you caught me. I am currently doing a rewatch of Raimi's Spider-man trilogy and I'm seriously simping right now.
bcom
bcom - 11/23/2021, 3:15 PM
@GwenLantern - Michael B Jordan's Val Zod Superman HBO Max show is an entirely separate entity from the 'shared universe' aspect of the DC movies, much like The Batman is it's own thing and regardless of that, why is it a "shame" that that show is calling for a black director?

As much as I like Raimi's Spider-Man movies (not so much the third one), I'm not sure he's be right for Superman. Without intending to start a fanboy flame war, my ideal situation would be for Kevin Feige to partner with WB just for this movie and produce a Superman movie. Kevin has repeatedly said that when he has a mental block and needs inspiration he watches Superman The Movie as to him, that movie and that portrayal of Superman is the bench mark of what a superhero and a superhero movie should be. The guy based the whole MCU around the premise of Superman The Movie. He even once said that making a Superman movie would be a dream come true. Also, when you hear him talk about Superman, he just gets it. Have Feige produce it and let him and Henry find the right writer and director and have WB keep their noses out of it while the movie is being made.
Blergh
Blergh - 11/23/2021, 6:59 AM
Not with Snyder at the helm
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 11/23/2021, 7:00 AM
This guy gets it. What impact would an evil Superman make if we have never known who good Superman was supposed to be in the first place
bcom
bcom - 11/23/2021, 3:33 PM
@bkmeijer - That's the trouble with directors and writers that don't understand Superman. They think he's too powerful or boring and too much of a goody goody so they try to give him an 'edge' to make him seem cooler. That's what Snyder and David Goyer did.

Superman isn't boring. There's a reason he's been the most widely recognized superhero since 1938. You only have to look at the recent Superman & Lois to know that there are writers and directors out there that properly understand Superman.

I think that Henry has grown increasingly frustrated over his portrayal of Superman in the years since JL. He knows his Superman has been treated poorly and he knows he and WB can do better. You just need to hear him talk about Superman to know he has a proper love and understanding for the character.

I think it would be a real shame if this man wasn't given his chance at a proper Superman movie and WB should let him go for it.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 11/23/2021, 5:08 PM
@bcom - agreed. Think it works for when we get dark version of the characters that aren't actually the characters (i.e. Omni-Man, Homelander), but Superman has indeed endured so long because he is good through and through
bcom
bcom - 11/23/2021, 5:16 PM
@bkmeijer - Judging by the interview above, he clearly wants to do another movie. I assume WB know this. I would definitely prefer it if they kept Henry on rather than recast and reboot. If Gal's Wonder Woman and Jason's Aquaman are getting new movies so should Henry's Superman.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 11/23/2021, 6:24 PM
@bcom - definitely. I wouldn't even mind it if he gets a supporting role in a Supergirl movie. The two of them punching the shit out of Brainiac is all I need
bcom
bcom - 11/23/2021, 6:36 PM
@bkmeijer - I mentioned this in another post (unintentionally at the risk of starting a fanboy flame war) but I think the perfect person to produce a new Superman movie would be Kevin Feige.

Kevin Feige has always said that Superman The Movie is the perfect superhero movie because it is the perfect representation of a superhero and a superhero movie. He's said that when he feels mentally blocked or needs inspiration he watches Superman The Movie as it always reminds him of what a superhero is. The guy essentially based the MCU around the premise of Superman and he hasn't been shy about admitting that. He's also said in interviews that before they started production on Iron Man he got the whole production crew to sit down and watch Superman The Movie and told them to pay attention because this is what a superhero is.

Kevin should partner with WB just for this one project as a producer and he and Henry should choose the writing and directing team without any interference from the WB execs.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 11/24/2021, 3:45 AM
@bcom - didn't know that. Thats pretty cool. Even if not Feige as producer, they definitely need someone with a similar mindset like that, and not the "lets deconstruct this superhero" mindset
bcom
bcom - 11/24/2021, 5:17 PM
@bkmeijer - Exactly. Let Superman be Superman. Don't try and 'modernize' him or give him a gritty edge. Superman & Lois has shown that when he's portrayed as he should be, Superman is entertaining to watch.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 11/24/2021, 5:37 PM
@bcom - I really should get to watching that
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 11/23/2021, 7:09 AM
Not only he "gets it" this also proves that he knows his shit in terms of storytelling as well.

Can't say i'm surprised anymore tbh.

What a chad.
elgaz
elgaz - 11/23/2021, 7:12 AM
Man of Steel is a film that's improved with age IMO, I really enjoyed it first time round but have grown to love it more on subsequent rewatches. When lesser known superheroes are getting films made about them, I'm still surprised WB haven't got their $hit together and delivered us a Superman sequel to MOS.
99OPTIMISTPRIME
99OPTIMISTPRIME - 11/23/2021, 7:16 AM

He obviously preferred to play a more light-hearted version of Superman.
bcom
bcom - 11/23/2021, 5:19 PM
@99OPTIMISTPRIME - Well, to be fiar, Superman by nature is light hearted. He isn't supposed to be a dark and brooding conflicted character. He embraces humanity and loves the people of his adopted planet and will do anything to protect them. That's the right Superman and that's the Superman Henry wants to play.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 11/23/2021, 7:18 AM
This man went through a whole scheme. Cast as a beacon of hope, only to never get to play it.
TheClungerine
TheClungerine - 11/23/2021, 7:23 AM
Defo need a MOS 2 God damnit!
Kyos
Kyos - 11/23/2021, 7:24 AM
Cavill: I really wanted to make sure we saw the hero Superman, and we saw the true symbol of hope, the beacon of light.

Snyder:

Fogs
Fogs - 11/23/2021, 9:08 AM
@Kyos - AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA
SteelGunZ
SteelGunZ - 11/23/2021, 11:01 AM
@Kyos - LMAO!
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