Following his return in Black Adam, Henry Cavill expresses his hopes for a more inspiring Superman in the DC Universe moving forward. The British actor made his debut as Superman in 2013's Man of Steel which, directed by Zack Snyder, was intended to jump-start the cinematic franchise formerly known as the DC Extended Universe. Just like Man of Steel, Cavill's return in Snyder's subsequent installments, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, were met with mixed responses and underwhelming box office returns. Once the filmmaker exited the franchise, Superman fell to the wayside and reports indicated Cavill wouldn't be back either.Following an extended period of uncertainty, Cavill made his triumphant return as Superman during Black Adam's post-credits scene. The surprise cameo appearance signaled Superman's return to the DCU and has inspired much hope for his future in the franchise. Following Black Adam's release, Cavill took to social media to say the post-credits scene was "a very small taste of what's to come" and later teased a bright future for his hero in the DCU along with "an enormously joyful Superman."Now, during an exclusive interview with Screen Rant for Enola Holmes 2, Cavill is continuing to tease his hopes for Superman's future in the DCU. While much is still undetermined at this point, the actor hopes to see a more inspiring depiction of Superman in future films. Read his full comments below:
There is so much in the way of conversations to be had. Obviously, I have a very close connection to the character. And there is something extraordinarily special about him; extraordinarily special about his capacity to give and to love. I don't mean romantically; I mean his love for Earth and for the people who live here, and to make people feel powerful—to make people feel like Superman themselves.
I have plenty of desires for this, of course, which will be discussed more in time. But the most important thing, which I will be aiming for, is for the audience to leave the cinema and to feel like they can fly, to feel like they can protect, and to feel like they want to give to everyone else. That would be my goal.
How DCU Can Capitalize On A More Hopeful Superman
Cavill expressing his hopes for a more joyful and inspiring depiction of Superman is notable since this is in direct contrast to how the character was portrayed in Snyder's films. Man of Steel began by taking a more serious tonal approach to the superhero and Batman v Superman continued Snyder's dark and dour depiction of the Kryptonian hero. While Zack Snyder's Justice League was a vast improvement over the controversial theatrical version that included heavy reshoots from Joss Whedon, the Snyder cut was considerably more somber. Man of Steel and Batman v Superman also both disappointed at the box office, partially due to their joyless portrayal of the Kryptonian hero.
With Cavill now set to return for future films, the DCU has a chance to capitalize on a more hopeful depiction of Superman, just as the actor has expressed in seeing. This could begin with Man of Steel 2 which could act as a soft reboot for the titular hero and, depending on what writer and director are hired, move the DCU away from Snyder's dark and dreary depiction of Superman and into something that aligns more with the ideals of the hero, like truth, justice, and hope. Perhaps then, the result would be a Superman movie that critics and audiences can all enjoy.
