DC's Next Movie to Include Henry Cavill Superman Reference Following Recasting

DC's next movie, Blue Beetle, is now confirmed to include references to Henry Cavill's first Superman outing.

Late last year, Henry Cavill's Superman was ousted from DC Studios' upcoming plans for the franchise. The actor even reportedly had a notable cameo removed from The Flash ahead of its release.

While the figurehead of Zack Snyder's DCEU might be in the past, Snyder himself is still looking forward to future DCU films—Blue Beetle included.

Despite the movie being one step closer to the big DCU reboot, Snyder recently noted that he's "looking forward to taking [his] kids to see Blue Beetle."

Blue Beetle Will Include Man of Steel References

In an interview with Nestor Bentancor on YouTube,  Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto revealed that the next DCU movie will include references to 2013's Man of Steel.

Soto admitted that Zack Snyder's "films are an immense influence" and that the upcoming movie will have "some references" to Henry Cavill's debut film, which were "made out of honor and respect:"

“Waking up in Mexico to the news that [Zack] Snyder wants to see it too, a director that I respect so much, that his films are an immense influence… Even in 'Blue Beetle,' there are some references to 'Man of Steel' that we made out of honor and respect for the work and art of Zack Snyder. Also, seeing David Ayer sharing it… It’s like, ‘WOW, brother!’ How nice it feels to have that support from people that one respects and that the fans also respect.”

Do Superman References Hurt Blue Beetle?

It's hard to figure out what exactly the references to Superman might be.

They could simply be stylistic choices (visual or otherwise) directly inspired by Man of Steel. Or, they could be what everyone likely jumped to assume: direct references to Henry Cavill's Superman.

Given the impending reboot, mentioning the actor's late Superman might be problematic, given Blue Beetle's supposed role to play in DCU's reboot. If a mention does happen, then audiences will need to consider that the details of the movie's events might not be fully canon by the time Superman: Legacy rolls around.

No matter what, James Gunn previously confired that Blue Beetle will be "the first DCU character, for sure." So with or without Henry Cavill references, if the director lives up to his words, Xolo Maridueña will still be given a place in the new status quo.

Blue Beetle lands in theaters on August 18, 2023.