Henry Cavill officially returned to the role of Superman in Black Adam, and fans are largely happy with this news. DCEU fans are quickly taking to the internet to celebrate and speculate what's to come for the Man Of Steel. Cavill himself has revealed in interviews that he's determined to take the character in a more traditional and inspirational direction than audiences saw in his previous movies.
However, while most people are excited about Cavill's return, it's hard to ignore the glaring issues that any Superman project in the DCEU's continuity will face. While the Man of Steel is returning to the big screen under the guidance of James Gunn and Peter Safran, there are a number of kryptonite traps that could disrupt the DCEU's bright future.
10 Will This Be Whedon's Superman Or Snyder's Superman?
One minor issue that probably won’t be addressed anytime soon is the confusing continuity concerning Superman’s Justice League return. In the theatrical, and widely disliked, cut of Justice League, Superman returns from the dead in a joyful and heroic fashion.
However, in the more widely celebrated Snyder Cut of Justice League, Superman’s resurrection is handled differently. He returns somberly, all in black and ready to fight Steppenwolf, but without the huge shift to a more traditional Superman that the theatrical cut of Justice League exhibited. Thus, casual fans may be confused as to which continuity is now canon, and devoted Snyder fans will undoubtedly be unhappy with the notion that the Snyder Cut’s continuity is being ignored.
9 How Can The Stakes Be Raised In The Next Superman Movie?
Superhero movies are facing an increasingly pressing issue in terms of their stakes. Studios seem acutely aware of this problem, as smaller-scale films like Joker and Black Widow have dialed down the stakes to great effect.
The issue with any solo Superman project set in Metropolis is that it's hard to keep raising the stakes. In Cavill’s first movie, Man of Steel, most of Metropolis was destroyed. However, by the end of the film, the city seems restored to the point where the Daily Planet building and nearby areas seem unaffected, and citizens are back to work. If Metropolis has already been destroyed and then instantly rebuilt, will even the most world-shattering disasters have any real impact?
8 How Will The People Of Earth React To Superman's Return?
One prominent theme in Cavill’s previous Superman outings is how the public perceived him. Zack Snyder was desperate to illustrate that, in a real-world scenario, people would be very unsure of, or even hostile toward, a godlike alien. However, after his death in BVS, Superman suddenly was universally beloved.
Superman seemed to win over everyone with his sacrifice, but now that sacrifice has been undermined by his return. Surely, if this were the contentious world established, his return would lead to claims that his death was a hoax, and reiterations that he is not to be trusted. Will the DCEU's Superman have to gain the trust of the world, or will the movies just skip to him being a beloved figure?
7 Superman's Key Supporting Characters Are Either Dead Or Have Been Ignored
When most people think of Clark Kent, they think of Lois Lane, Superman’s pal Jimmy Olsen, Kat Grant, Perry White, and other fun side characters of the Daily Planet. Similarly, when they think of Superman, they think of Jor-El, Professor Emil Hamilton, and the Fortress of Solitude.
However, in the DCEU, it might be impossible to reincorporate these setpieces. Jimmy was initially gender-swapped in Man Of Steel as Jenny Olsen, but this was retconned when. Jimmy was introduced in BVS, then immediately shot and killed. Similarly, Jor-El's hologram was destroyed by Zod and Professor Emil Hamilton was killed in Man Of Steel. The DCEU is now missing key components of Superman's mythology.
6 Clark And Lois' Relationship Missed The Important Part
Another key to Superman’s world is Lois Lane. Amy Adam’s role as the famous reporter had plenty of screen time in the DCEU and is well-established, which is good. However, it does feel like there are some large time gaps surrounding her life.
Fans enjoy Clark and Lois' relationship in the comics, and it's fun to see them grow closer over time. The issue here is that after barely two movies, they are already in a full-blown relationship, and Lois is seemingly already pregnant. Not only does it feel like the DCEU jumped over the most important part of their romance, but it also feels too soon to introduce Jon Kent into the mix.
5 Who Can This Superman Face?
Villains like Brainiac, Parasite, Manchester Black, and Lex Luthor are being talked about as the DCEU's Superman villains. However, the issue here is that these villains work because they challenge key components of Superman’s character. Components that have not been well established in the DCEU.
Brainiac challenges Superman’s intellect. But the DCEU has not created a Superman who can outwit his foes. Parasite absorbs Superman’s powers, forcing Clark to think outside the box. Cavill’s movies thus far however have not created a character who exists outside of his abilities. Manchester Black challenges Superman’s no-kill rule, which can’t work with a Superman who has already taken a life. Finally, Lex Luthor is problematic considering the audience's response to Jesse Eisenberg's divisive performance in BVS.
4 Is Zack Snyder's Knightmare Dystopian Future Still Going To Happen?
One key setup point in Batman v Superman concerns the "Knightmare" future world that Bruce Wayne envisions where his planet is destroyed and Superman turns to evil. Snyder was desperate to incorporate this idea into the DCEU and his cut of Justice League makes it clear this was where he wanted to go.
However, based on Cavill's thoughts in interviews, fans doubt he'll want to turn his Superman into an evil dictator-type supervillain. This will likely lead to confusion and anger from fans who want the Snyderverse restored. It also confuses the continuity for casual viewers. It’s fair to assume this is another thing that DC just hopes fans will forget.
3 Superman Has Already Died And Returned
Superman's death at the hands of Doomsday was one of the biggest events in comics. It was built up to, earned, and was genuinely tragic. For a short time, it seemed real and permanent. This makes the notion of killing Superman after barely two movies very baffling.
Doomsday has already been introduced to the DCEU. Superman died, and then returned in the franchise's next movie. This not only undermines the stakes in future Superman movies, but it robs Cavill’s Superman films of a genuinely satisfying climax. Cavill could’ve had a series of movies, and killing him in the final one would be real and powerful. As it stands though, what can DC do to threaten Superman now?
2 Clark Kent Was Killed Off Too
BVS made it clear that with Superman’s death that Clark was also pronounced dead, going so far as to show his funeral. Even Clark's colleagues from the Daily Planet attended the service, making it clear that everyone believed he died while covering the battle.
When people picture a Superman movie, they likely picture a Christopher Reeve-type Clark Kent charmingly bumbling around the Daily Planet's offices with Lois and Jimmy, looking for their next scoop. However, how can the DCEU reintroduce this into a universe where Clark has died already and had a funeral? This will be a hard task for the writers to deal with.
1 Cavill's Superman Had A Weak Foundation
Henry Cavill’s return as Superman is arguably problematic because it's broken from the ground up. Man Of Steel did a poor job of laying the foundation for a sustainable and popular Superman who could have his own long-term series of movies.
Superman snapping Zod's neck remains the core of why many could not get behind this Superman. Having Superman commit such a divisive act out of the gate undermined the character's role in his stories. It created an issue where fans will be continually asking, "why doesn’t Superman just kill all his villains now?" Ultimately, Cavill’s Superman needed a strong foundation to build a franchise on, and he wasn't given one.