DCU Returns Make Henry Cavill’s Superman Exit Even More Confusing

The DCU’s plans don’t include Henry Cavill’s Superman, but they do include the return of other DCEU characters, adding more confusion to the mix.

The first part of the DC Universe’s new plan has been revealed, along with the return of some actors, but these only make Henry Cavill’s exit as Superman even more confusing. After the underperformance of some of the movies from the DC Extended Universe and other behind-the-scenes problems, the DCU went through massive changes with the announcement of James Gunn and Peter Safran becoming co-chairs and co-CEOS of DC Studios. Gunn and Safran have been working on a 10-year plan for the DCU covering movies, TV shows, and more, and after a lot of speculation, the first part of it has been announced.

On January 31, 2023, Gunn and Safran announced various projects as part of the first half of Chapter 1 (the DCU equivalent of Marvel’s Phases), called “Gods & Monsters”, formed by 10 movies and TV shows that will be interconnected, finally forming a connected universe of DC content. Of course, with this came a lot of surprises as some characters will no longer return but many others will, and the ones falling into the latter category are only making the confusion over Henry Cavill’s Superman exit a lot bigger.

Related: What Henry Cavill’s Superman Exit Means For Sasha Calle’s Supergirl

Cavill Wasn’t Fired – But His Comeback WAS Canceled

After announcing his return to the then-DC Extended Universe in October 2022, in December 2022, shortly after Gunn and Safran took over the new DCU, Cavill announced that he wasn’t coming back after all. Gunn also announced that a new Superman movie was in development as part of their new plans, but this didn’t include Cavill as it will focus on a younger version of Superman. This was confirmed in the announcement of the DCU’s Chapter 1, as it includes a movie titled Superman: Legacy, scheduled for a July 2025 release. As previously teased by Gunn, Superman: Legacy will explore the younger years of Clark Kent but without being an origin story, focusing on Clark’s struggle to balance his superhero life with his human one, while also exploring his status as a symbol of hope in a world that doesn’t believe in kindness anymore.

During a press DC Studios event where Gunn revealed their Chapter 1 plans, there was the inevitable question about Cavill’s future in the DCU and the possibility of his return. Gunn explained that neither Cavill nor Ben Affleck are part of the DCU, and emphasized that Cavill was not fired – he just wasn’t hired to be Superman in their upcoming project, but there wasn’t a deal for another movie, either. Cavill announcing his exit as Superman before Gunn and Safran’s actual plans for the DCU were announced only created more confusion and misinformation around his future as Superman, but even though Gunn has already clarified what really happened, there’s another part of his big announcement that adds more confusion to the mix: the return of other DCEU characters.

Cavill’s Exit Would Make Sense If The DCU Recast EVERYONE

The DCU’s Chapter 1 includes a lot of new characters and stories, but it will also see the return of some characters from the DCEU. The “Gods & Monsters” TV plans include the TV series Waller, a previously announced spinoff series focusing on Suicide Squad’s character Amanda Waller (Viola Davis). The show is expected to take place between seasons 1 and 2 of Peacemaker, and characters from Gunn’s hit TV series are also expected to return. Also returning from the DCEU is Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, with Gunn suggesting that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will lead into the DCU’s Superman reboot movie, while Ezra Miller’s The Flash will reset the DCU, though whether Miller will reprise their role in future DCU projects or not is to be seen.

While the return of all these characters is exciting and intriguing in some cases, it also makes Cavill’s exit more confusing and frustrating. As one of the most popular and beloved superheroes ever created, Superman was a big figure in the DCEU, and reactions to Cavill’s surprise cameo in Black Adam showed there was still interest in his version of the character. All these characters coming back but Cavill’s comeback being canceled doesn’t make sense, and that could have been avoided by recasting all the returning characters from the DCEU.

Related: The DCU’s Superman Plan Reports Prove 1 Cameo Detail Was The Real Issue

Superman: Legacy Could’ve Worked With Henry Cavill

Adding to the confusion of Cavill’s canceled comeback as Superman is that Superman: Legacy as it’s being announced could have worked with Cavill. As mentioned above, Superman: Legacy will explore the younger years of Clark Kent, so the character obviously couldn’t be played by Cavill, but the movie could have still worked as the backstory of his version of the character. This would give the liberty of having Cavill reprise his role in flash-forwards/time jumps to the present DCU timeline or not featuring him at all, but still knowing that the story is part of his version of Superman. Henry Cavill not being fired from the DCU makes his comeback as Superman possible, though when or how that could happen is unknown.

Next: The DCU Can’t Throw Away Man Of Steel 2’s Villain Plan (Despite No Cavill)