UPDATE #2: Henry Cavill has now responded to this whole crazy Superman exit thing and … uh … it’s not making anything any clearer.
Posting a video on his Instagram with the caption “Today was exciting #Superman”, Cavill’s short video explains literally nothing but it’s kind of hilarious all the same. What the hell is going on with the DC Universe today?
UPDATE #1: Following the publication of THR’s original story on Henry Cavill’s exit from the DCU, Warner Bros. issued the following statement: “While no decisions have been made regarding any upcoming Superman films, we’ve always had great respect for and a great relationship with Henry Cavill, and that remains unchanged.”
That’s … surprisingly a lot to unpack. It’s unsurprising that WB hasn’t confirmed the news going around yet, as they surely need time to get their house in order and make sure that all parties are fairly represented. It’s a cryptic statement to be sure, as it neither confirms or outright denies THR’s report. Until either the studio or Cavill releases a statement offering a firm yes or no, we can’t know for certain if Cavill is out. That being said, it’s looking more unlikely by the minute that Cavill is staying on board, so we’re going to push ahead under the assumption that he’s done.
Original Story: It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s … Henry Cavill quitting Superman?!
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cavill has parted ways with Warner Bros. after three films playing the iconic DC superhero.
While it’s been unclear when we’d next get to see Cavill reprise his role after last year’s Justice League, there had been rumors that the actor would cameo in the upcoming Shazam! However, THR’s report notes that contract talks broke down, with scheduling conflicts being a sticking point for Cavill, who just recently signed on to star as Geralt in Netflix’s The Witcher.
Man of Steel 2 was never officially announced, but sources had previously pegged it as being at least several years away. However, it’s said that the studio’s focus had shifted to getting a Supergirl movie off the ground, which Cavill likely wouldn’t have had much involvement in given Superman would only be an infant in that story.
“There’s a recognition that some parts of the previous movies didn’t work,” says one studio insider. Another source claims that the studio is trying to hit the “reset” button with the DC universe, which would explain why Cavill and, by look of things, Ben Affleck are on the way out.
It’s unclear what Warner Bros’ plan for the Superman character is now that Cavill is out but if the report is true, this is a big blow to the already troubled DC Cinematic Universe.
For more on DC movies, check out these 17 Hidden Details You May Have Missed in Justice League:
17. Black Mask Tease?
Justice League doesn’t spend all that much time in Gotham City proper, so there isn’t a whole lot of opportunity for Batman-related Easter Eggs. However, there is a good blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tease during Batman’s opening fight against one of Steppenwolf’s Parademons. As Batman lays the smackdown on the Apokolips soldier, you can make out a sign in the background during one of the shots advertising a company called ‘Janus.’ Janus Cosmetics is a major corporation in the DC Comics Universe and just so happens to be run by the Sionis family.
As many Batman fans will be well aware, the Sionis family’s son Roman is better known as criminal kingpin Black Mask, who takes over the family business at one point and uses it to strengthen his criminal empire. Whether or not this is a tease for Black Mask’s appearance in a future DC movie, we at least now have confirmation that the Batman villain exists in the cinematic universe.
Warner Bros. Interactive