DC boss James Gunn denies firing Henry Cavill from new Superman movie

"Henry was never cast."

By Justin Harp

31 Jan 2023

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DC Universe boss James Gunn has attempted to set the record straight on what led to Henry Cavill's departure as Superman.

Fans were stunned when Cavill announced that his recent cameo as the Man of Steel in Black Adam would not lead to a full-scale return, following a meeting with new DC Studios co-CEOs Gunn and Peter Safran.

Gunn has since confirmed that he's working on an all-new introduction for Superman in his DC Universe, set to release in 2025 and is focused balancing the character's "Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing".

Speaking to Deadline, Gunn disputed that Cavill was actually dismissed from the new Superman: Legacy because it was never meant to include him.

"We didn't fire Henry. Henry was never cast. He was in a cameo, and that was the end of his story," the new co-CEO said.

"A lot of people made assumptions which weren't true, but for me, it's about who do I want to cast as Superman and who do the filmmakers want to cast. For me, for this story, it isn't Henry. I like Henry. He's a great guy. I think he's gotten dicked around by a lot of people, including former regimes of this company. But this Superman isn't Henry for a number of reasons."

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When it was announced that he would no longer play Superman, Cavill did encourage fans to give Gunn and Safran's vision for the character a chance.

"The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that," Cavill wrote on Instagram. "James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them, and all involved with the new universe, the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes."

Superman: Legacy will release in cinemas on July 11, 2025.