This week, a rumor originated that Man of Steel actor Henry Cavill was being eyed to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Wolverine and would appear in Captain Marvel 2. Considering the source of the rumor, there's more chance that Channing Tatum's Gambit film will happen than Cavill will be cast as the Ol' Canucklehead.
Despite this, there's no denying that the prospect of Cavill as the X-Men character gives fans something interesting to ponder. He's certainly got a similar sort of grizzly look and is as built as the previous Wolverine actor, Hugh Jackman. And it isn't like he's unfamiliar with comic-book properties. The question is, would Cavill want another high-profile comic-book movie role so soon after playing Superman?
Cavill is flying high after the debut season of The Witcher. It's the first time in a long time he's successfully received mainstream attention for a role besides Superman. In fact, his last appearance as the Man of Steel in 2017's Justice League became the subject of numerous memes because of the horrifying CGI effort to remove the mustache he grew out for Mission: Impossible – Fallout. It's not exactly a glorious swan song if it was his final time playing the superhero.
While Cavill denies he's vacated the Superman role, an A-list actor of his ilk is unlikely to hang around while Warner Bros. figures out how it wants to move forward with Big Blue. With Batman already being rebooted, it's likely that the Man of Steel will follow suit if director Matt Reeves' The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson in the titular role, makes all the right moves -- both financially and critically.
Yet, while the window to play Superman might be half shut at the moment, that doesn't mean Cavill must give up on comic-book movies in general. The temptation to join the MCU might prove too strong to resist, as it offers him a second chance in the genre. After all, Laurence Fishburne, who portrayed Perry White in the DC Extended Universe alongside Cavill, jumped ship and played Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp not too long ago.
It's no secret that the MCU has major plans for the X-Men, and the role of Wolverine will be a coveted one among actors. As arguably the most popular mutant in Professor Xavier's stable, it's a part tailored for a big star and someone who'll welcome the challenge of following Jackman's iconic run as the character.
After the Justice League fiasco, Cavill must be desperate to shake off the bad vibes. He's a self-confessed mega-nerd and loves these characters as much as everyone else, so it must sting to see the criticism of something that he wasn't able to control in the first place. It's likely he'll want another opportunity -- either as Superman or another character.
While there's no guarantee that the MCU's X-Men will be a huge hit, Marvel Studios' track record speaks for itself. The studio takes its time to build its world and there seems to be more of a plan than some of the shenanigans and corporate meddling that Cavill experienced at Warner Bros. If he truly wants another shot at comic-book movie redemption, the question becomes why wouldn't he take the Wolverine part if it was offered to him?
This is all speculative, however. Maybe Cavill wants to toss a coin to the Witcher rather than ever touch another superhero role with a ten-foot pole. Time will tell if he has any future with either the DCEU or MCU.