As expected, DC Studios' DCU looks set to be a fresh start for this comic book universe across film, television, and video games. It's an exciting time for fans who have spent close to a decade frustrated by Warner Bros.' approach to the franchise, but also one that's bringing its fair share of disappointments.
Days after we learned Wonder Woman 3 is unlikely to become a reality under the new regime, James Gunn confirmed yesterday that he's writing a new Superman film about a younger Man of Steel...and he won't be needing Henry Cavill for it.
Fans are understandably upset, though probably not as much as the actor seeing as it was only a few weeks ago he announced his return as Superman to the world. It's a bally move on Gunn's part, but as much as you might not like to hear this, we believe the filmmaker has made the right decision.
Then again, there's at least one reason it could be the wrong one.
By clicking the NEXT button, you can read our thoughts on why moving on from Henry Cavill's Superman might be the best - and worst - idea for this new DCU.
Why It Was The Right Decision...
5. The DCU Needs A Fresh Start
Over the course of the DCEU's history, there have been some great moments, a few fantastic films, and a lot of excellent casting decisions.
Outside of that, the franchise has been a failed experiment, unable to deliver the same level of success as the MCU and telling stories that haven't resonated with critics, fans, or regular moviegoers. For every Wonder Woman, there have been about three Suicide Squads, and the DCU needs to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch.
Keeping the DCEU actors, Cavill included, would be a major blunder. They're massively talented and great as the characters they've been cast as - Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, for example - but for this 8-10 year plan to succeed, it's time to move on from the Snyderverse.
4. Henry Cavill Is (Sorry!) Yesterday's News
There was a fair bit of excitement surrounding Cavill's announcement that he would return as Superman, but it didn't break the internet. By the time Black Adam rolled around, it had been five years since moviegoers saw his Man of Tomorrow on the big screen, and interest had waned.
It's true that fans had held out hope to see more of the British actor as Clark Kent, but that was drowned out by everything from #ReleaseTheSnyderCut to all the other big plans we heard Warner Bros. had for Superman (and Supergirl) on screen.
Simply put, at this point, any sort of Man of Steel 2 announcement would be more of the same rather than a huge piece of news capable of generating a suitable level of hype for the DCU as it enters this new era. It's time to move on, something we're sure you'll agree with after our next slide...
3. There's Too Much Baggage
Zack Snyder did a lot of good in the DCEU, but his interpretation of Superman was not for everyone. From the destruction of Metropolis during his battle with General Zod to the way he ultimately dispatched that villain, this Clark Kent has been divisive and controversial from the start.
We've since seen this Superman rock a laughable CGI jaw, murder Batman as a full-fledged villain, and appear headless in Shazam! because Warner Bros. wouldn't pay Cavill what he wanted.
Any sort of reboot could move on to some degree, but there's so much baggage with this Superman, we'd always be forced to remember the past. Having the actor reprise his role in the new DCU, surrounded by mostly new characters and a vastly different approach to storytelling, would just feel awkward.
2. It Would Confuse Non-Fans
As comic book fans, we often tend to forget how different it is for regular moviegoers - who make up the vast majority of box office takings - to experience these stories.
Interest in the MCU has waned during Phase 4 because the regular Joe who enjoys the spectacle of a new Marvel movie simply doesn't have time in their busy lives to follow every single TV show in order to understand what's happening. The concept of the Multiverse has confused fanboys, so how do you think parents or causal comic book readers feel?
To include Cavill in a DCU that's clearly going to reboot this entire franchise, making next year's The Flash near-meaningless, would be beyond confusing, especially if his past is wiped away to accommodate new stories.
1. Everything About That Black Adam Cameo
If you're currently raging at James Gunn on Twitter for "firing" Henry Cavill, you might want to think about aiming your frustrations elsewhere: The Rock, for example.
Dwayne Johnson must have known he had a bad movie on his hands with Black Adam, so, at the last minute, went around Walter Hamada in order to orchestrate Henry Cavill's Superman return (they share an agent). From there, he used the Man of Steel to increase interest in a movie receiving negative reviews and hoped the cameo would guarantee interest in a sequel.
Instead, it's just shown that Johnson, and potentially Cavill, cannot be trusted. It also means bringing this Superman into the DCU with the expectation that he'll fight Black Adam, a crossover DC Studios is unlikely to want to make a reality given the film's poor critical and commercial performance.
Why do we think DC Studios made a mistake by not moving forward with Henry Cavill's Superman in the DCU? Continue reading below to find out!
...And Why It Might Have Been The Wrong Decision
1. Henry Cavill Deserved Better
Henry is having a tough enough time as it is, so we're not going to pile on the poor guy any further. Everything we've said so far is hard to argue against, but so too is the fact that the actor deserved better than this.
Since 2013, he had to deal with appalling creative decisions, poor management from studio executives, and being shelved for reasons entirely out of his control. Cavill always gave Superman his all on screen and has frequently talked about his love for The Man of Steel; a character that he told the world he would return as, thanks to Warner Bros., before being let go weeks later.
It sucks, and we wish he'd been given the chance to play the hopeful Superman he wanted to bring to life on screen. Looking to the future, another DCU role might be fun...however, we think it's about darn time Marvel Studios give him a call and have him suit up as Captain Britain.