Why is Henry Cavill not returning as Superman for the upcoming film? Everything to know

The first trailer for DC Studios' Superman took the internet by storm yesterday. Directed by James Gunn, the film will be a brand new take on the iconic DC Comics character and will be set in a new DC Universe as well. However, this time, DC's Boy in Blue will be played by actor David Corenswet instead of Henry Cavill.

This is primarily due to the reason that the upcoming Superman film is a reboot of the character and will focus on a younger version of the superhero. While Henry Cavill was set to return as the Man of Steel following the release of Black Adam, the leadership at DC changed which saw James Gunn and Peter Safran launch DC Studios at Warner Bros.

Following this, James Gunn also revealed in January 2023, that Henry Cavill was never fired from the role when talking about his new DC film (via The Hollywood Reporter).

"We didn't fire Henry. Henry was never cast," Gunn said. "For me, it's about who do I want to cast as Superman and who do the filmmakers we have want to cast. And for me, for this story, it isn't Henry."

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Henry Cavill was originally set to return as Superman

Back in 2022, Henry Cavill made his grand return as Superman for the first time since 2017 in Black Adam. He appeared in the post-credits scene of the Dwayne Johnson-starrer where a matchup between the Man of Steel and the Man in Black was teased. Following the film's release, Henry Cavill took to his social media to announce his return in a post.

However, a few days after the release of Black Adam, the news broke that James Gunn and Peter Safran were chosen to lead DC Studios. Following that, a rumor also broke out that Henry Cavill would not be returning to play the Man of Steel and that director James Gunn would be going in his new direction.

A few days later the news was made official when Gunn revealed that Henry Cavill won't be returning to play the character and that he is writing a film of his own that will focus on a younger Kal-El. Cavill also confirmed the news in December 2022 and expressed his disappointment, but wished Gunn and Safran good luck.

“I will, after all, not be returning as Superman. After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life. The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes," said Cavill.

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When does James Gunn's Superman release?

James Gunn's upcoming DC film is set to premiere on July 11, 2025, and it will star David Corenswet as the titular superhero. He will be joined by Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The first teaser trailer for the film also provided glimpses of characters such as Nathan Fillion's Green Lantern, Edi Gathegi's Mr. Terrific, Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl, and Anthony Carrigan's Metamorpho.

The film will also be the true beginning of a new DC universe that will be spread across television, movies, and video games.

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For further updates on the film, stay tuned with us.