Henry Cavill is leaving the role of Superman behind and this decision will result in quite the fallout for the DC Extended Universe. Before the DCEU was even born, it all began with Cavill's portrayal of Superman in Man of Steel, but after just three appearances, the universe is now without a Superman.
Cavill made appearances as Superman after his 2013 solo movie, in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League, but there was never movement on a true sequel for him. Instead, there were reports that a now resurrected and course-corrected version of the character could appear in Shazam!. That cameo was never filmed though as Cavill and Warner Bros. dug in to contract negotiations. Despite having one film left on his deal, Cavill wanted to re-up now for larger paydays, while WB wanted to use the final appearance before giving him the raise. No cameo was filmed because Cavill appearing in Shazam! as a connecting point would only muddy the waters more if he never appeared again.
Related: Why Henry Cavill Has Reportedly Quit Playing The DCEU's Superman
While Cavill and his manager seem to be teasing continued interest in the role, it seems Warner Bros. is ready to move on as Cavill goes to Netflix to star in The Witcher TV series - leaving the DCEU with a Kryptonian sized hole. WB is currently saying, "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." With possibly no Superman, what exactly would the DCEU look like moving forward in a post-Cavill world?
- This Page: What The DCEU Will Do With Superman
- Page 2: The DCEU's Wider Soft Reboot
Supergirl Takes Superman's Place in The DCEU
The same report that broke the news that Cavill is done playing Superman looks to have confirmed how DC will continue on. Even though they appear to be losing the bigger Kryptonian, WB is looking to make Kara Zor-El aka Kara Danvers aka Supergirl a major piece to their future. 22 Jump Street writer Oren Uziel was previously hired to write a script for the movie, which is reportedly an origin story. Despite some possible set up from Zack Snyder in Man of Steel, that doesn't appear to be the direction they're heading.
The exact details of Supergirl are not yet clear, but WB reportedly is very interested in finding a female director for the project. Without a Superman in the universe (and depending on how the studio decides to deal with the continuity of it all), Supergirl will effectively take his place. They share the same power sets, so Supergirl can easily step in and be the heavy hitter the universe may need from time to time. Additionally, Kara's youthful portrayal should make it easy to infuse her with the hopeful attitude many felt (to no fault of his own) was lacking from Cavill's Superman.
Related: Supergirl Had A Place In Zack Snyder's DCEU
A Recast Superman In A Few Years
If Cavill does leave, it isn't likely that Superman will be seen on the big screen for quite some time. It hasn't even been a year since audiences last saw Cavill in the role (CGI upper lip and all). Although the circumstances upon the impending recasting are quite different, WB did wait four years between Christian Bale's final appearance as Batman in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises and Ben Affleck's first in 2016's Batman v Superman. A similar timeframe may be taken with Superman as well, making a potential recasting and reintroduction possible well after Supergirl gets made.
There are currently no plans for any future Superman movies or appearances, and in a few years, there could be some major names available to play the part. Who exactly could take on the part will depend on when the studio envisions bringing the Man of Steel back. It may be early in this process, but reportedly WB has already loosely considered Michael B. Jordan for the part, which would be a very different take on the character. Whoever the beneficiary to Cavill's exit is, we likely won't know who will next play DC's famous hero for several years.
Page 2: The DCEU's Wider Soft Reboot
A Soft Reboot Of The DCEU
The more obvious sign of where the DCEU is going after Cavill's exit is towards a big, but soft reboot. While almost every DCEU film has its supporters, the only one that has been nearly universally praised is Wonder Woman. The shift of focus from Superman to Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman already appeared to be in progress before, but this is certainly the move to make. The first movie is the universe's biggest hit, Gal is their most beloved star and a great face to the brand, and there's already a ton of excitement for her sequel. If a DC cameo is still wanted for Shazam!, a quick scene with Wonder Woman may very well be the way to go.
Jason Momoa's Aquaman could also become a major face moving forward after many found his portrayal of Arthur Curry in Justice League to be a highlight. If Aquaman is a huge hit later this year, Aquaman, Mera (Amber Heard), and the entire underwater world could become the next building block for DC. The same could be said for Ezra Miller's The Flash, especially with Game Night directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein looking to bring some youthful fun to the universe.
Related: What Cavill's DCEU Departure Means For Solo Superman Movies
That said, Cavill's Superman won't be the only major character at the center of this soft reboot. Ben Affleck's future as Batman is also rocky, so Matt Reeves' The Batman is reportedly focusing on Bruce Wayne's earlier years as a crime fighter and will result in someone other than Affleck suiting up.
The DCEU Movies That Are Still Happening
The DCEU may not look entirely stable at the moment of this news dropping, but they do appear to have a rough plan for the future. Aquaman is the next film out the gate, and there's reason to believe James Wan is delivering anything less than a solid entry in the universe. After that, Shazam! is confirmed to come out next April even without a Superman cameo, while Wonder Woman 1984 arrives November 2019. Those are the only confirmed plans at this moment, but WB's schedule is still full of upcoming DC productions.
One of their big priorities if Birds of Prey, which will finally get Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn back in action. The movie is directed by Cathy Yan and is currently in the process of finding other cast members, but is on track to film early in 2019. The Flash is also reportedly filming early next year. Both of these movies should be on track for 2020 releases thanks to these production schedules. Additionally, The Batman, Suicide Squad 2, and Black Adam have all been linked to 2019 starts, but only The Batman appears to be making the progress necessary to make that possible.
Other than those several films, Supergirl is obviously a priority for the studio, and a Batgirl movie has also been under consideration. Geoff Johns is also writing Green Lantern Corps now, and there hasn't been any clear indication that Ava DuVernay isn't still working on New Gods. That's not even accounting for movies like Joker that fall under the Elseworlds style "DC Dark" or "DC Black" label. All the other discussed DC movies may be part of the reset that may be on the horizon. But, if WB is willing to let their Superman go, then their entire plans may be changing, and result in some of these projects never materializing.
