Now that Henry Cavill is reportedly out, Warner Bros. is saddled with the tricky task of recasting Superman. After a handful of hiccups in the earliest iterations of DC's Extended Universe, the studio is now looking to restructure its approach to the franchise, and it looks like Cavill's Clark Kent is one of the casualties.

Superman's journey in the latest slate of DC movies was bumpy from the beginning. After kicking off the extended universe with Zack Snyder's Man of Steel in 2013, some tonal inconsistencies and overall foibles haunted him through movies like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice Leagueturning Warner Bros. into more of a cleanup crew than a major film studio. As a result (and also through no fault of his own), Cavill's Superman simply couldn't keep up with the universe's overall imbalance.

Related: 15 Things That Make No Sense About Superman

Though nothing has been officially confirmed yet, it definitely seems like Cavill's days of playing Superman are over. Even though Warner Bros. doesn't plan on revisiting the character for a number of years (allowing them plenty of time to take the most realized approach possible), there is a long list of potential actors who are more than capable of replacing Cavill and donning the classic red and blue suit. It all just comes down to what sort of iteration this version of Supes will end up being. Will Warner Bros. play things safe and stick with the familiar mold made famous by actors like Cavill, Brandon Routh, and Christopher Reeve? Will the next incarnation attempt to break new ground? The options are technically endless - but until Warner Bros. issues some idea as to what direction they plan on taking, there's no harm in open-ended speculation.

Armie Hammer

Armie Hammer in Call Me By Your Name

Armie Hammer has always been on the precipice of being Hollywood's next leading man. He's got the look down pat, his creative skills speak for themselves (see: his Golden Globe-nominated performance in Call Me By Your Name), and he's even gone toe-to-toe with Cavill himself in The Man from U.N.C.L.EIn short, Hammer's career may as well have naturally led him to the role of Superman.

That said, there's one notable problem: Armie Hammer has mostly written off superhero movies. Having nearly played Batman in the abandoned Justice League: Mortal movie from George Miller, Hammer has since revealed that he's happy production never fell through, and that this particular genre just doesn't fit into his particular interests (for now, at least). It's understandable that the actor might have a sour taste in his mouth after the Batman fiasco, as well as the lackluster response to the Lone Ranger adaptation, in which he starred opposite Johnny Depp as the masked, midwest hero, but if Warner Bros. managed to deliver a solid script, Hammer has what it takes to do Superman proud.

Theo James

How It Ends Theo James

Next on the list of possible replacements for Cavill is Theo James. After proving his skills in the action genre as Four in the Divergent series, as well as playing his hand in fantasy with the Underworld series, James is already well attuned to the sort of physical responsibilities necessary to become the Man of Steel. In short, he's on the Hollywood hero up-and-up.

Related: 15 Things Man Of Steel Did Better Than Superman: The Movie

Having not necessarily broken into the A-lister mold quite yet, James would be following a career path similar to Cavill, who preceded Man of Steel with movies like Stardust and Immortals (and, in other words, he'd have the meta underdog/outsider motivation down pat). He knows his way around mainstream blockbusters, he clearly meets the physical requirements necessary for someone as chiseled as Clark Kent, and, while it might feel like a safe choice for Warner Bros., that may well be exactly what they're looking for to fill Cavill's shoes.

John Krasinski

John Krasinski in 13 Hours

Superman may be the most traditional archetype of comic book superheroes, but that's not to say an unexpected approach to casting couldn't hurt. And, following the career evolution that few people could have seen coming with John Krasinski, an unexpected approach might easily do wonders for the character.

With roots in comedy (The Office), a deviation into heroics (Amazon's Jack Ryan series), and even the occasional directorial effort (A Quiet Place), Krasinski has proven to be as multifaceted as he is naturally charming. So, would "John Krasinski as Superman" have made sense in the mid-to-late 200os? Maybe not. But has Krasinski since proven that he would have certainly made it work, despite expectations? Given his physical and tonal transformation in 13 Hours, the short answer is yes.

Krasinski would bring a warm, everyman presence to Superman, representing a major deviation from the darker vibe Warner Bros. attempted with Cavill. Superman is the kind of character that everyone is meant to root for; and, seeing as Krasinski has essentially been regarded as one of the more likable actors in the industry ever since he was pushing pencils as Jim Halpert at Dunder Mifflin, leading Warner Bros.' new charge into Worlds of DC could be just another unexpected evolution of his role in Hollywood that could be - as has been the case with every other unexpected route he's taken - surprisingly inspired.

Related: What Michael B. Jordan Would Look Like As Superman

Michael B. Jordan

In that same breath of taking an unexpected approach with Superman, Warner Bros. is already on the heels of inspired directions after showing early interest in Michael B. Jordan as their new Man of Steel. No stranger to the superhero genre, having starred in movies like Black Panther, Chronicleand Fantastic Four, Jordan really only stands out in the list of possible contenders because he would be the first person of color to land the role on the big screen. That difference aside, there's really no reason why his take on the Last Son of Krypton should feel out of place.

Jordan is easily one of the most standout, sought-after A-listers in Hollywood at the moment, which already feels appropriate for the globally-renown stature attached to someone like Superman. He's a well-rounded actor who's mastered vulnerable ferocity in roles like Fruitvale Station, and Creed clearly set him up for Superman's physical demands.

In a generation where race doesn't (or shouldn't) have any bearings on the ability to represent a fictional character, Jordan could surely do this character proud.

Page 2: Darren Criss, Sam Heughan, and More

Darren Criss in American Crime Story

Darren Criss

Henry Cavill set a new precedent for what fans might expect from a live-action Superman. However, it's not the end-all, be-all standard. For example, while Cavill certainly broke new ground in terms of his physical presence, Superman has typically been portrayed by a mostly physically average actor - one who even walks a line of "borderline geek" that complements his outsider, intellectual traits. So, when it comes to casting someone in the role of Superman, there's a checklist that most fans expect to be covered; though that checklist might edge closer to one end of the spectrum than the other, depending on the actor in question.

Related: DC Just Changed Superman's Kryptonian Origin Story

This brings us to Darren Criss. With a heavily theatrical background (having starred in everything from Glee to A Very Potter Musical), Criss made his most grounded transition with The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Storyproving he can tackle far more than a colorful song-and-dance routine with the Dalton Academy Warblers. As for visual likeness, Criss checks all the key Clark Kent boxes.

Jamie Dornan

Christian Grey standing on the street in 50 Shades of Grey

Some actors find it nearly impossible to break away from certain molds, but there are exceptions. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were mostly successful with this after the Twilight Saga, and now Dakota Johnson is following in their footsteps after the Fifty Shades franchise with movies like Suspiria and Bad Times at the El Royale. However, the career future of her co-star Jamie Dornan is up in the air.

He's delving into some very non-Christian Grey roles with Will Scarlet in Robin Hood and the upcoming action-thriller Borderlands, but it's a part like Superman that could really serve as his grandiose exit out of breakout role limbo.

Dornan certainly represents one of the safer approaches when it comes to inheriting the Superman role (especially given that he may as well be Cavill's twin), but maybe that's what Warner Bros. wants/needs. Maybe they'd feel safer leaving the risk-taking to the hero himself. More importantly (for Dornan's sake, at least), this would be a great vehicle to prove that he's more than just eye candy.

Related: Every Adaptation Of Superman, Ranked From Worst To Best

Alexander Skarsgård

An image of Tarzan standing in the forest in the movie

As proven by Cavill's take on the character, Superman has a dark side. Given the death of his entire race, his difficulty fitting in with humans, and the fact that the weight of world is almost literally on his shoulders, it makes sense that Clark Kent would show off his inner demons from time to time. And, assuming Warner Bros. really wants to touch on those nerves yet again - only with a new actor - Alexander Skarsgård will no doubt offer what they're looking for.

Having played his fair share of complicated characters - from heroes (The Legend of Tarzan) and villains (Big Little Lies) to morally complex vampires (True Blood) - Alexander Skarsgård would lend some emotional complexity to Superman, while also living up the physical expectations laid in place by Cavill.

Sam Heughan

Like Theo James, Sam Heughan is another actor who hasn't quite breached A-list status, but is well on his way to. He's the star in Starz's Outlander series, and his natural charisma, paired with an appropriately Kryptonian physique, is base-level defense for him taking over Superman from Henry Cavill.

Heughnan would certainly fit the bill for a more clean-cut take on Kal-El, and, again, if Warner Bros. edges towards playing things safe after their imperfect first phase of DC's extended universe, he might be exactly who they opt for. His charming, but rugged, leading man appeal could be an easy pill to swallow for fans and studio heads alike. Ironically, though, fans of Outlander might be the biggest opposition to this casting, given that taking on the role of Superman would no doubt get in the way of other acting obligations (though if it's a while before we get another Superman movie, his schedule might line up perfectly).

Related: Batman V Superman: How Zack Snyder Told One of Superman's Greatest Stories

Charlie Hunnam

Charlie Hunnam in The Lost City of Z

Superman is tough, but he's rarely considered a "tough guy." He's also brawny without being brutish and a force of nature without being in-your-face forcible. This could change, though, with someone like Charlie Hunnam.

Following his gritty, but subtle, performance in the FX series Sons of Anarchy, Hunnam has already tried his hand at the leading man role in movies like Pacific Rim and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (another Warner Bros. connection that definitely puts him on their radar). And, though it wouldn't be fair to overlook Hunnam's emotional and creative range (see: The Lost City of Z and even his supporting role in Crimson Peak), this is the kind of actor who could easily translate his proclivity towards gritty nuance to someone as predictably grounded as Superman.

Hunnam could bring a more naturally rugged tenacity to the role, without it feeling shoehorned. He could also bring that outsider-bordering-on-everyman mentality that is quintessential to Superman, but hasn't yet been perfected.

More: Henry Cavill's Superman Departure Is The Worst Thing That Could Happen To The DCEU

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