DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has the perfect opportunity to include former DC actor Henry Cavill in his Superman reboot film. Gunn, who is probably best known for his work on the Guardians of the Galaxy as well as DC's The Suicide Squad, is about to launch audiences into a whole new vision for the Blue Brand with his interconnected DCU. This will see actors of the last generation of DC movies (ie, Cavill, Gal Gadot, and Jason Momoa) put to the wayside, instead opting for a whole new cast of comic book stars, kicking off with David Corenswet as Superman.
While Gunn has been quite open in the lead-up to Superman's theatrical release, one thing the fan-favorite filmmaker has not commented on is how the Man of Steel's Kryptonian parents will be handled in the new film. Typically, in Superman stories, fans are treated to this dichotomy of both Kal-El's human heritage and Kryptonian heritage, with big-name actors like Marlon Brando, Kevin Costner, and Russel Crowe playing versions of either set of parents over the years.
James Gunn's Superman soars into theaters on Friday, July 11, under the tutelage of new Superman/Clark Kent actor David Corenswet. The new film stars Corenswet in the titular role as he contends with the villainous Lex Luthor (played by Nicholas Hoult) and attempts to protect the people he loves, like Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane.
The latest film from the Guardians of the Galaxy director will kick off DC Studios' new DCU, a new vision for the brand's on-screen effort that should (in theory) rival that of Marvel Studios' MCU.
A DCU Henry Cavill Superman Cameo Just Makes Sense
For months, fans have been scratching their heads, wondering about a particular aspect of James Gunn's Superman.
Thus far, the director has only seemed to focus on the Man of Steel's Earth-based parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent (played by Neva Howell and Pruitt Taylor Vince in the new film), in heading into its release, rather than those from his long-gone home planet, Krypton.
However, that could be because Gunn is hiding a set of notable actors to play his version of Superman's biological mother and father, Jor-El and Kara. What if it's because Henry Cavill, of all people, is secretly hiding in the movie's midsts?
As mentioned, Superman movies usually involve a big-name actor playing Jor-El, serving as a guiding light for their particular version of DC's iconic boy in blue.
These have come in the form of Marlon Brando and Russell Crowe on the big screen to date. So, what better person to pass the torch of both the Superman mantle and the in-universe House of El than the last person to don the crest?
While having someone like Tom Cruise (who has been a popular fan-cast for the character for months) take on the role would be fun, Cavill feels like he has earned the opportunity to give it a shot.
No matter what one thinks about the Man of Steel actor's time as Superman, most would agree that he ultimately got the short end of the stick.
He only ever got one solo film under the DCEU banner, was a part of some of the worst-reviewed movies of the genre, and then, right after it looked like he was ready to come back with an appearance at the end of Balck Adam, he had the rug pulled out from under him.
Bringing Cavill back as Jor-El feels like the perfect way to honor his legacy as the character, while not giving him too intrinsic a role for the rest of the DCU franchise.
For those wondering why Gunn would even want to include an actor who has already been attached to the franchise in some form, the Superman director seems keen on bringing back stars from the DCEU as new characters.
Jason Momoa, the DCEU Aquaman, has been confirmed to play the DC Comics villain Lobo in the upcoming Supergirl movie, and there apparently have already been conversations with others about returning as well.
In fact, shortly after he took the role as DC Studios CEO alongside producer Peter Safran, Gunn shared in a post online that he had met with Cavill and "talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together:"
"Among those on the slate is 'Superman.' In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman's life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill. We just had a great meeting with Henry, and we’re big fans, and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future."
Maybe Jor-El was one of these "exciting possibilities," and both Gunn and Cavill have been hiding it this whole time.
