The DCU's upcoming Superman movie has the opportunity to fulfill one of Henry Cavill's wishes for the character that he never got to continue to explore in the DCEU. Superman will be released on July 11, 2025, with the reboot written and directed by James Gunn. It will be the first live-action project in Gunn and Peter Safran's new DCU, and the official theatrical launching point for the universe after the Creature Commandos animated series releases on Max in December.
In an interview with Total Film back in 2013, Henry Cavill talked about what he hopes to see in a sequel to his film Man of Steel. Most of what he said can't really be delivered by the DCU due to the overall narrative of the universe, but he brought up wanting to see Kal-El's relationship with humanity evolve going forward. While Man of Steel never received a true sequel in the DCEU, Gunn's Superman film, and the potential sequels that follow can absolutely deliver on what Cavill wanted for the character.
One Of Henry Cavill's Man Of Steel 2 Hopes Looks Set To Happen In DCU's Superman Movie
James Gunn looks to bring back a more traditional Man of Steel with his upcoming Superman movie while still keeping modern audiences in mind. The film will explore Clark Kent's relationship with humanity as well as his relationship with his Kryptonian heritage and what it means for him to be a superhero in a world already full of other heroes. This is exactly what Henry Cavill was hoping for with his own Superman story, which unfortunately never happened. Thankfully, the DCU will look to explore those ideas, and even though Cavill won't be in the role, it's still in service of what he, and many fans, wanted to see for the character.
If the DCU's Superman is successful in launching a brand-new universe, it's reasonable to assume the character would have top priority for a sequel. Gunn has already shown that he can continue character arcs in sequels while also fitting into a broader universe with his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. Getting a sequel to Superman would be huge for the character and fulfill the hopes that Cavill never got to make happen with his own take on the character.
The DCU Can Make DCEU's Superman Series Hopes Possible
Following the failure of Justice League in 2017, Henry Cavill's Superman was relegated to a parade of headless cameos, not having a speaking part until the end credits of Black Adam. By then, the DCEU was on its way out, and it felt like too little, too late. Gunn seems to be positioning his Superman as the figurehead of the DCU, which will hopefully mean more appearances from David Corenswet as the character in other projects as well as true sequels to Superman.
The DCEU's Superman appeared in Shazam!, Peacemaker, and The Flash, but Henry Cavill didn't return to film any new footage for any of them.
Never capitalizing on a Man of Steel sequel was the first true misstep for the DCEU. Cavill perfectly embodied the character physically and the story was set up to go in an exciting new direction at the end of the first film. While the overall story did see Superman's relationship with humanity evolve to some degree throughout the DCEU, it was always told rather than shown outright. If Gunn is able to hone in on how Superman views his place in the world and how humankind views him, that makes the hope Cavill had for the character possible.
Cavill deserved better as Superman. Making the character essentially disappear in the DCEU right after he came back, as the more hopeful version that fans were wanting, will always be one of the biggest blunders in the universe. Cavill had a variety of aspirations for the character and really wanted to explore his relationship with humanity in sequels that never were. James Gunn, the DCU, and Superman have the chance to make those dreams a reality for the character.
