Henry Cavill is officially back as Superman -- and the Man of Steel star says he's excited to portray an "enormously joyful" version of the Last Son of Krypton.
Following an extended absence from the role, Cavill finally suited up as the DC Universe's Superman again in the mid-credits scene of Black Adam, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as the eponymous anti-hero. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Cavill discussed his return at length during a live taping of the Happy Sad Confused podcast, hosted by MTV’s Josh Horowitz.
Cavill explained that he actually had to get permission from the crew of Netflix's The Witcher to shoot his cameo for Black Adam, but that his involvement in the DC film was "so top secret" that he couldn't actually tell them what he was going to go do. When picking out his wardrobe for the cameo, Cavill gravitated towards the version of the Superman suit he wore in 2013's Man of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder.
"I chose that one in particular because of the nostalgia attached to the suit," Cavill said. "It was incredibly important to me to be standing there and enjoying that moment. That is one of the top moments in my career. It feels great to have the opportunity to wear it again." While reports indicated that Cavill's cameo in Black Adam was the result of a special, one-time deal, the actor soon confirmed that he would indeed be returning as the Big Blue Boy Scout in the future. "A very small taste of what’s to come, my friends. The dawn of hope renewed. Thank you for your patience, it will be rewarded," Cavill said at the time.
The Death and Return of Superman
THR reports that Warner Bros. is currently taking pitches from writers for a potential sequel to Man of Steel, though Cavill himself is keeping mum on the matter for the time being. "Right now I can’t share anything... but in time, I'll be able to share and everyone will hear all the exciting things to come," the actor told Horowitz.
Cavill also expressed gratitude towards the aforementioned Snyder. "He's a lovely man, and I am enormously appreciative for everything he's done for me... those are formative memories of mine, career wise. It is when everything changed. I remember them fondly... Zack if you are watching... thank you my friend."
Before wrapping up, Cavill offered one last thought on his return to the DC Universe. "There is such a bright future ahead for the character, and I'm so excited to tell a story with an enormously joyful Superman," he said.
Black Adam marks Cavill's first time playing Superman in five years. The actor first stepped into the iconic role in Man of Steel before reprising it in 2016's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017's Justice League. Superman did appear in subsequent projects like Shazam! and HBO Max's Peacemaker, but was played by a body double. Cavill technically did appear as Superman in Snyder's 2021 director's cut of Justice League, but -- unlike some of his co-stars from the 2017 film -- did not return to shoot additional scenes.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter