Who will play Superman in DC after Henry Cavill's exit?

Henry Cavill Superman screen test (Image via Zack Snyder)
Henry Cavill Superman screen test (Image via Zack Snyder)

James Gunn and co. are moving forward with a new Superman movie without Henry Cavill. The beginning of the end, or perhaps the beginning of a new beginning, is here as we’re getting a DCU reboot. Cavill’s exit has to mean that the entire DCU will be rebooted, it can’t be a half-measure.

Ben Affleck is out as Batman, Wonder Woman 3 has been shelved, Black Adam 2 will not happen, and the likes of Shazam, The Flash, and Aquaman 2 will be the last movies of the old DCEU. Starting with Cavill's exit, the slate is being wiped clean.


Why Henry Cavill is being replaced as Superman

Henry Cavill's Superman in Justice League (Image via DC)
Henry Cavill's Superman in Justice League (Image via DC)

Henry Cavill began the DCEU, and it was only fair for him to be the first to officially leave DC as well. But this decision was taken because the old DCEU carried a lot of baggage.

First, Snyder got pushed out, and Justice League had no consistency. Walter Hamada, the former president of DC Films, then tried to change everything by writing out the main players. Black Adam tried to return things to the old trajectory, but it turned out to be a highly unsuccessful outing. So, someone needed to make the tough call and push the reboot button.

Both James Gunn and Henry Cavill confirmed that DC Studios is taking a different direction with the next Superman project. So, with Cavill out of the picture, people have been left wondering who exactly will take on the red cape after him. To know this, we’ll have to consider a few aspects and then narrow down our choices.


Who would play the next Superman?

James Gunn and Henry Cavill as Man of Steel (Image via DC)
James Gunn and Henry Cavill as Man of Steel (Image via DC)

Variety added further details about the plot that James Gunn wishes to cover in the movie, which he himself is writing. Apparently, the new reboot will be about a young Superman, featuring Clark Kent as a cub reporter in Metropolis who comes across Lois Lane and others.

Since we are talking about a young Clark Kent, a lot of the older popular choices have been discarded already. The likes of Matt Bomer, Jon Hamm, Alan Ritchson, and others can’t be considered because they are all older than Henry Cavill himself. Actors like Will Poulter and Richard Madden would have been perfect, but they have already been cast in the MCU.

Liam Hemsworth in The Expendables 2 (Image via Getty Images)
Liam Hemsworth in The Expendables 2 (Image via Getty Images)

So, the parameters for casting a new Superman is that he has to be between 25 and 35 years old. He also needs to be fit and tall, because that’s the usual preference. It is important to note that James Gunn also likes to pick new talents out of the blue to surprise everyone. So, keeping these aspects in mind, a few names have been picked. They are all pretty faces, 6 feet and above, and have great physiques.

The first choice to play Superman could very well be Liam Hemsworth. He recently replaced Cavill as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’s The Witcher, and he could do the same for Superman at DCU because he fits all categories.

Jacob Elordi (Image via Getty Images)
Jacob Elordi (Image via Getty Images)

Besides him, we could have the likes of Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians, Snake Eyes), Alexander Ludwig (Vikings, Heels), Leo Suter (Vikings: Valhalla), Bill Skarsgård (It, Barbarian), and Jacob Elordi (The Kissing Booth, Euphoria).

Henry Golding is 35 already, so that might not work for him. Alexander Ludwig, on the other hand, is a natural blonde actor. So again, that could work against him. Meanwhile, Jacob Elordi and Leo Suter are relatively new talents, so that could work in their favor. They also have the kind of looks that would work for Superman. But if Gunn wants a tried-and-tested actor, he could choose Bill Skarsgård.

Sportskeeda’s choice – Jacob Elordi. Who’s yours? Let us know in the comments.

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Edited by Somava