Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Black Adam
Henry Cavill's return as Superman makes the theory about a DCEU reboot in The Flash much less certain. After years of faceless cameos and being on the sidelines of the DCEU, Black Adam brought back Kal-El in the film's post-credits scene with Superman facing Black Adam, wanting to talk about how nervous Teth-Adam has made the world. However, that same return to the DCEU could mean that the cinematic universe's status quo will be maintained, rather than rebooted in Ezra Miller's The Flash as many have come to expect.
Henry Cavill's Superman has been absent from the DCEU since 2017's release of Justice League. While Clark Kent himself had cameos in Shazam! as well as Peacemaker, his face was kept hidden or in the dark. Fully bringing back Superman in Black Adam sets up a future where subsequent appearances will be coming from Cavill as the DCEU's definitive Man of Steel. Keeping that in mind, it does create an interesting wrinkle for The Flash. Given the confirmation that Barry Allen will be traveling the multiverse, it's been widely theorized that the DCEU will be getting a universal reboot similar to DC Comics' Flashpoint event where Barry similarly rewrote the timeline and created a whole new universe. However, bringing back Cavill's Superman suggests otherwise.
How Henry Cavill's Superman Return Affects The DCEU
With the DCEU originating with 2013's Man of Steel, Henry Cavill as Clark Kent was the first DC superhero to become part of a larger connected franchise of characters. He's an established pillar of the universe much like Robert Downey Jr. as the MCU's Iron Man. However, he's been used far less following the production struggles of Justice League. With the prompting of Black Adam actor and producer Dwayne Johnson combined alongside the new leadership in place at Warner Bros., Superman has been reintegrated as that pillar for the DCEU once more, and the messaging from Johnson and Black Adam's marketing have implied it's for the long term.
However, this does cast doubt on the theory that Ezra Miller's Barry Allen will simply reboot everything in the DCEU following 2023's The Flash. The film already has Ben Affleck returning as the DCEU's established Batman who will also be seen in Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom releasing later that same year. Now that Henry Cavill has returned to the DCEU as well, the odds of the DCEU doing a full reboot isn't so strong anymore. As an example, it's unlikely that Warner Bros. would effectively "reinstate" Cavill as the DCEU's Superman in Black Adam only to ignore or recast him following a reboot in The Flash. The fan backlash would be huge. Henry Cavill putting the cape back on has been seen as a major win, honoring long held hopes for his return as the Man of Steel.
The Flash Can Still Soft Reboot The DCEU
It should be noted that Barry Allen could still reboot the DCEU, though it would need to be much softer with a greater focus on changing the timeline as opposed to greatly effecting or recasting characters like Superman. It does seem as though Warner Bros would benefit from erasing or at least rewriting certain elements of the theatrical cut of Justice League given its poor reception in comparison to Zach Snyder's Justice League, a version of the film the studio has not adhered to as DCEU canon with subsequent projects.
Keeping that in mind, Superman does look notably different in his Black Adam appearance than in past DC films. Not only is his costume brighter and more colorful, he also has the classic comics curl in his hair he's never had before. Combined with John Williams's original Superman theme from 1985 over Hans Zimmer's Man of Steel theme, it's possible Cavill has returned as a Superman who will soon have an altered and brighter history following a possible reboot in The Flash. The same could be true for Ben Affleck's Batman given his confirmed appearance in Aquaman's sequel following his role alongside Miller's Barry Allen.
What Will The DCEU Look Like After The Flash Now?
Superman's return to the DCEU argues that The Flash may not have a massive reboot as has been largely theorized. Barry Allen could simply have a multiversal adventure with Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton's Batman with the status quo still being intact in the aftermath (strange as it is). Currently, the DCEU's films following Justice League have been largely independent of each other with far less reliance on having connective tissue one would expect from a cinematic universe. Likewise, some of it's the most popular films such as The Batman and Joker aren't even in the DCEU at all.
While there's now a path forward for the long awaited Man of Steel 2, perhaps The Flash will still be able to have a softer reboot that can help right the ship that is the DCEU after years of complications and production struggles. Reboot or no reboot in The Flash, Henry Cavill's return as Superman is a very hopeful sign for the DCEU's future all the same.
