"He's a very different age": James Gunn responds to Henry Cavill fans' upset over new Superman cast

The recent news about Henry Cavill leaving his role as Superman in DCEU left fans upset all over the world. Now, DC's new boss James Gunn took to social media to clarify doubts and shed some light on the plans for the upcoming DCEU projects and why Cavill will no longer be playing the Kryptonian.

The news was all the more shocking as the actor was meant to play Superman after his appearance on DC's latest offering, The Rock starrer Black Adam. With a change in the studio's upper management, the fate of the upcoming DCEU films is sure to undergo heavy change. However, fans did not imagine Henry Cavill being dropped out as Superman.

However, amid the news, while some expressed their disappointment over the decision, others have already started pouring in suggestions as to which actor should be cast as the new Superman.

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James Gunn's response on Henry Cavill not playing Superman in further DCEU projects

A still featuring Henry Cavill as Superman from Man of Steel (Image via IMDb)

After taking up the mantle to lead DC films and bring upcoming projects into shape, James Gunn's first big decision was a change in Superman's casting. On December 15, he took to Twitter to announce the news, stating:

"Among those on the slate is Superman. In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman's life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill."

Now that studio executives have decided to explore the initial stages of Superman's life, the reason Gunn gave fans on Twitter was quite simple, stating:

"As I said yesterday, it is very simple, he's a different age."

Gunn further added:

"I'm anything but cold about it. I sat down in person with Henry yesterday and we had a very open and honest and respectful discussion. We've communicated since and he and I are all good. And I said what I needed to say yesterday, not sure what else you'd like me to say."

Meanwhile, the initial stages of Superman's life should not be confused with the origin story. As the writer/director clarified a fan's doubts about the same, the studio is definitely not doing an origin story.

The upcoming Superman project seems interesting with additional clarity about the character. In the said film, the Kryptonian will not be meeting other DC characters for the first time and will simply be a younger version of himself.

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Fans already have their suggestions ready regarding the next Superman actor

In Image: Austin Butler, Jacob Elordi, Adam DiMarco, and David Corenswet (Images via IMDb)

Now that it is official that actor Henry Cavill will not be reprising his role as Superman in any upcoming DCEU project under James Gunn, fans have started to look at other actors who can fit into the Kryptonite suit.

Number one on several fans' lists is Austin Butler, the actor who gained mainstream attention for his titular role in Elvis. The 31-year-old has surely got the charm and age to play Clark correctly, however, standing at 5'11'', the actor might be a bit short to play the role.

Some fans also want Jacob Elordi to fill Cavill's Superman shoes. Known for starring in Euphoria, Elordi could make a great on-screen Superman, as the actor stands at 6'5'' and is aged only 25.

Another actor that appears on the list of some fans is Adam DiMarco. For those unaware, DiMarco gained popularity with his role in White Lotus.

Finishing the list is David Corenswet, known for his roles in Pearl and We Own This City. The actor is among the popular choices to play Superman, as he stands at 6'4'' with charms to pull off the role of Kal-El.