James Gunn isn’t sugar-coating what happened to Henry Cavill. The Superman writer-director and DC Studios boss has finally broken down the messy timeline that saw Cavill announce his return as Superman—only to bow out weeks later.
Gunn and producing partner Peter Safran were still negotiating their roles at DC when Cavill’s return as Superman was suddenly made public. As far as Gunn was concerned, it made no sense.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Gunn opened up about how it all blindsided him, and how badly he felt about the way it played out.
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The Deal Wasn’t Done—But Cavill Was Already Back
“We were dealing with trying to figure out if we could take the job at DC Studios,” Gunn said. “And the day our deal closed, all of a sudden they were announcing that Henry was back.”
He added, “I’m like, what is going on? We know what the plan is. The plan was to come in and do Superman. So, it was really unfair to him and was a total bummer.”
That plan, of course, was to reboot the character—ultimately leading to this year’s Superman, with David Corenswet taking over the cape.
Cavill’s return had appeared official in late 2022, when he made a mid-credits cameo as Superman in Black Adam, starring Dwayne Johnson. Shortly after the film hit cinemas (October 2022), Cavill took to social media with a direct-to-camera video message for fans, saying: “I am back as Superman.”
Breaking the News: “This Poor Guy”
Gunn said it was clear Cavill had been caught in the crossfire. “That was really unfortunate,” he said. “I’m like, this poor guy.”
So Gunn and Safran made a point to sit down with Cavill in person.
“We talked to him, he was an absolute gentleman, a great guy about it,” Gunn said. “He said, ‘The only thing I ask is that I’m able to reveal it myself as opposed to it coming from you guys.’”
Cavill confirmed his exit himself in an Instagram post on 22 December 2022. “I have just had a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran and it’s sad news, everyone,” the actor posted. “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.”
Studio Chaos and Power Plays
Gunn pointed to the leadership vacuum at the time as a major factor. “[A lot of people] wanted to take on what they wanted to do at DC and were trying to force their way,” he said.
He added that Cavill’s return was never part of Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav’s actual plan—it was simply a case of too many voices trying to take charge.
Could Cavill Return? Gunn Says He’s Open
So, is Cavill completely done with DC? Not necessarily.
Asked if it would be too confusing to have Cavill play another role in this new unfolding DC universe, Gunn made it clear: “Absolutely not. I talked to him about it on that day. I would love to put Henry in something.”
Cavill’s Superman run began with Man of Steel in 2013 and wrapped with a small cameo in Black Adam. But Gunn’s comments make it clear: Cavill’s chapter in the DC Universe might not be over. It just won’t involve the cape.
