The main reason why James Gunn isn't making a Superman movie with Henry Cavill

It has little to do with age, folks.

The Hollywood Reporter published a story on Friday stating that St. Louis native filmmaker James Gunn isn’t actually making a young Superman movie with 2025’s Superman: Legacy; he’s simply making a movie with new guy David Corenswet.

This news tickled the anger bone of many Superman and movie fans, especially Henry Cavill’s corner of cyberspace. The British actor played the role a number of times for Warner Brothers Pictures, including Man of Steel, Batman Vs. Superman, and both iterations of the Justice League. A cameo at the end of last October’s Black Adam seemed to cement Cavill’s return to the role as a potential adversary for Dwayne Johnson’s anti-hero.

But then Gunn happened. He and Peter Safran took over DC Studios, the new comic book cinema-verse for Warner Brothers. This isn’t like the guy down the street taking over daily operations of the town filling station; Gunn is the guy who created an impeccable and beloved trilogy of movies for Marvel Studios. He crossed lines of the superhero Hollywood society, going from the sinking ship that is the MCU to the soon-to-be renovated DC Extended Universe.

In other words, he’s HOT SHIT and knows it. So, there was little chance to him going forward with Johnson’s plan, which was to prop his newfound comic character up and reintroduce Cavill’s Sup at the same time. When Black Adam did poorly at the box office, thus swatting The Rock’s gamble right out of thin air, the table was set. Gunn could come in and tear out all the plumbing, replacing it with his own vision.

Superman: Legacy releases in the summer of 2025, with filming to begin next year. That last part is pending the current writer and actor’s strike ending sometime soon, or before early 2024. The big projects are the ones hurting the most during the shutdown, because they literally take years to plan and set up.

Gunn has time. He is still sizzling off the release of spring’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Volume 3, which brought a soulful wrap to his Marvel odyssey. It also confirmed his clout and stature in Hollywood, being one of the few (Christopher Nolan and ?) filmmakers to make a successful trilogy of superhero movies. He also stuck the landing during a time when the Marvel Cinematic Universe is flailing.

So, why did he really recast the role of Superman for his new movie? It’s almost too simple. Gunn never wanted someone else’s guy playing in his movie. Cavill was the pick of Zack Snyder (currently making his own epic film, Rebel Moon, for Netflix) for 2015’s Man of Steel. The two directors have no beef or issue; it’s a creator’s tag swag type ordeal.

If you were walking into the new job and trying to leave a dent, would you bring back the last guy’s centerpiece for your dish? If Snyder cooked up a flaming hot blend of surf and turf, Gunn’s going to produce an original (and still juicy) ribeye for audiences. He’s not cooking up someone else’s belief and execution.

Corenswet could be terrific in the role, but I don’t think he’ll ever be good as Cavill. David will be working with a better script, that’s for sure. Those are opinions, and they don’t move the financial needle. Gunn is going to do what makes a lot of money, and comes off as his thing in the end.

Age doesn’t exactly *not* play a role here. Having a 30-year-old actor in Corenswet allows for sequels to happen without having to de-age an actor with technology or makeup. Let’s face it. Cavill is in outstanding shape and may stay that way for another 5-10 years, but does that bode as a good gamble for Warner Brothers? Probably not.

It’s the same reason a 30-ish somebody will play James Bond next. Studios prefer youth, because it’s easier to control a young, unnoticed actor than an established guy like Cavill. I do hope Barbara Broccoli and MGM do give Henry some consideration, but my hopes rest only a little higher than the ones for him to play a tortured alien who crash lands into Earth for some unhealthy reception.

Gunn is going to make his mark with Superman: Legacy, and that means everything has to be original. Sorry, Henry. Let’s hope it’s a great movie. In the end, that’s always the goal. Now, allow me to quietly hope that Netflix or Amazon Prime throws some trilogy money of their own at Mr. Cavill sometime soon. The talented fella needs a win.

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