A story started making the rounds that, yes, Henry Cavill wants to and is coming back to fill the boots of Big Blue, but with a massive catch. Allegedly, Cavill wanted a raise and “director and script approval” on top of credit as a producer, Revenge of the Fans reported. The site also said his “demands are slowing things down.”
But, that wasn’t the final word. A few hours later, Collider published a report saying the above contentions were not true. Reaching out to Cavill’s reps, Collider learned they were simply untrue and “patently inaccurate” rumors.
Last September, rampant reports of Cavill’s departure gained traction. Some on the Internet got the idea that Cavill being cast in The Witcher meant he was finished as Superman. Warner Bros. later refuted that story with a statement saying:
“We have a great relationship and great respect for Henry Cavill that continues to remain unchanged. Additionally we have made no current decisions regarding any upcoming Superman films.”
Jason Momoa, who is a good friend of Cavill, further debunked the notion that Cavill wasn’t returning to Superman on the red carpet for Aquaman, saying he spoke to Cavill that day, receiving word the English-born actor was “100 percent” committed to the role. Prior to that, Momoa commented on the possibility of Cavill — and Ben Affleck — leaving the DC Extended Universe, but strictly as a rumor and speculation without making too many assumptions.
Another fact that dismisses any rumor is Cavill, despite his busy schedule and obligations that have him currently tied up in Europe, keeps himself in the loop. Over a month ago, he went out of his way to post his reaction to Aquaman on Instagram and congratulate Momoa on his success. If Cavill wanted to announce he was washing his hands of the Man of Steel and the DCEU, he could’ve done so then.
All the speculation on Henry Cavill’s status stems from the chaos surrounding Warner’s DC slate, but also the demand for Man of Steel 2. The sequel seemed to be a lock before the studio threw all their weight into Batman V. Superman and a shared universe. Hope for it still appears to be far off even though they hit a reset to renew focus on solo movies and new characters without totally renouncing DCEU continuity, so far.
There are those who want Cavill to put the cape back on one day under the right conditions and others who don’t. Until he does or word leaks of some progress on Man of Steel 2, we will keep getting conflicting stories.
Do you want Henry Cavill to return as Superman?