DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn defended the decision to remove Henry Cavill as Superman after massive backlash from fans.Gunn turned to Twitter today to respond to outcry from fans of the DCU over his and co-CEO Peter Safran's release of Cavill as the Man of Steel, as well as some other actions the pair have taken following the overhaul in management and rebranding of DC Studios. Cavill's exit from the role is one of many cuts Gunn and Safran have made to reboot the DCU and distance the film franchise from its previous installments. While Gunn and Safran knew that the move would be controversial, the former says they feel their choices will prove beneficial to the DCU going forward.
"One of the things Peter & I were aware of when we took the job as heads of DC Studios was a certain minority of people online that could be, well, uproarious & unkind, to say the least," Gunn posted. "Our choices for the DCU are based upon what we believe is best for the story & best for the DC characters who have been around for nearly 85 years. Perhaps these choices are great, perhaps not, but they are made with sincere hearts & integrity & always with the story in mind."
He continued by writing, "We were aware there would be a period of turbulence when we took this gig, & we knew we would sometimes have to make difficult & not-so-obvious choices, especially in the wake of the fractious nature of what came before us. But this means little to us in comparison to our jobs as artists & custodians in helping to create a wide & wonderful future for DC."
The axing of Cavill's iteration of Superman elicited great confusion amongst fans as the actor wrote on social media in October that he would be continuing in the role. Cavill has since taken to Instagram to clarify that he would no longer play Superman, posting, "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."
Cavill's departure means that his cameo in The Flash, set to be released in 2023, will be axed, despite it already being filmed. However, fans will still get to see Superman on the big screen, as DC Studios has a movie planned for the iconic hero. The film will be written by Gunn and feature a younger actor as the Man of Steel.
DC Studios' upcoming Superman movie does not have a release date at the time of writing.
Source: Twitter