Dwayne Johnson finally comments on Henry Cavill's exit as Superman from the DC movie franchise, following the actor's return for the Black Adam post-credits scene. Cavill reprised the role of Clark Kent aka Superman in Black Adam for the first time since 2017's Justice League, though he also appeared in Zack Snyder's Justice League that released in 2021. However, less than three months after Black Adam hit theaters and Cavill confirmed his return as Superman, the actor announced his exit from the franchise.On the Oscars red carpet, Johnson was asked about Cavill's Superman exit. The Black Adam star hadn't previously commented on Cavill's departure, and in an interview with Variety, Johnson breaks his silence on Superman being recast in the upcoming DC Universe.
Johnson likened the situation with Cavill to a football team that is taken over by new management who decides to replace the coach and the quarterback. Read his full quote on Cavill's Superman exit below.
All that I could do, and that we could do, when we were making Black Adam was put our best foot forward, surround ourselves with the best people and then also deliver the best movie we could. Our audience score was in the 90s, critics took a couple a shots—that's just the business of it though. But I think it's almost like when you have a pro-football team and your quarterback wins championships, the head coach wins championships and then you have a new owner. And a new owner comes in and says, 'not my coach, not my quarterback. I'm gonna go with somebody new.'
Why Henry Cavill Is No Longer Superman
Johnson's comparison is essentially what happened with DC. Soon after Black Adam hit theaters, Warner Bros. Discovery launched DC Studios and set James Gunn and Peter Safran to spearhead the DC Universe franchise. Gunn is writing a new Superman movie, titled Superman: Legacy, which revolves around a younger version of Clark Kent. Because DC Studios decided to go in a different direction with the Man of Steel, there was no room left for Cavill's version of Superman.
It's expected Gunn will cast a new actor in the role of Superman for his movie, though the process has not yet officially started. It's unclear who may eventually become the DC Universe's Superman, but it's no doubt going to be someone younger than the 39-year-old Cavill. Superman: Legacy is set for a July 2025 release date, so it may be some time before the new Man of Steel is cast.
As for Cavill, the actor has quite a few projects lined up, including the spy movie Argylle from director Matthew Vaughn as well as the Warhammer TV show he's developing at Amazon. Further, Gunn has said he's discussed a DC role with Cavill that's not Superman, though it's unknown what potential parts the filmmaker has in mind for the former Clark Kent actor. Whether Cavill does eventually return to the DC Universe remains to be seen. For now, Cavill is no longer set to play Superman, despite Johnson's best efforts in bringing him back in Black Adam.
Source: Variety
