Fresh off DC’s latest failure, the studio is aiming to turn the tide with its latest announcement: Henry Cavill’s replacement in Superman: Legacy (2025).
Until 2022, Henry Cavill had the pleasure of donning the cape to play Clark Kent and his famous superpowered alter-ego. He made his debut back in Man of Steel (2013), where, even if the film wasn’t totally well-received, Cavill solidified himself as one of DC’s most popular casting choices in a long time.

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Over the years, Cavill appeared in several more DC projects – none of which met great critical acclaim. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) was dubbed a “grim whirlwind of effects-driven action,” while Justice League (2017) was criticized for its “murky aesthetic, thin characters, and chaotic action.”
For a while, it seemed like DC’s string of box office flops had pushed Cavill out of the picture entirely. In October 2022, Cavill confirmed plans to appear in future DCEU films, referring to his mid-credits cameo in Black Adam (2022) as “just a very small taste of things to come.”
When James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as co-CEOs of DC Studios later that same year, Cavill met with both parties to discuss his superhero future. In December, he shared a statement on Instagram confirming the worst: he would not return to the role of Superman, as Gunn and Safran sought to recast the character for a totally rejuvenated DC Universe, starting with Superman: Legacy.

Despite widespread outrage, the search soon began for a new Man of Steel. After multiple screen tests, David Corenswet was unveiled as Cavill’s successor – to mixed responses from fans.
Cavill loyalists took to Twitter to declare their lingering upset that the actor never got a proper climax to his time in the DCEU. User @WosAngel1 tweeted, “It is already confirmed that the actor David Corenswet he will be the new Superman. But I will tell you one thing, I will not spend a penny, nor will I watch the Superman Legacy movie. Until Henry Cavill’s Superman ends where it began.”
“Henry Cavill was amazing in the role,” complained @ThaDangerousOne. “[David Corenswet] better start hitting the gym now and bulk up to actually look like a Man of Steel.”

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While some critics kicked off a #BringBackHenryCavill campaign on Twitter, others called out the physical similarities between Cavill and Corenswet.
“Let’s be honest people want David Corenswet as Superman just because he looks similar to Henry Cavill,” wrote @Ssatyam_, “even this is the reason he’s been finalised for this role, poor James Gunn.”
David Corenswet be looking like AI generated Henry Cavill..
I'd be there to see how he takes on the Superman role.. pic.twitter.com/KuZhNzELWf
— 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒 (@ChaaliiyKay) June 27, 2023
“I’m sure this David Corenswet guy will be fine in the role, but he unfortunately gives off heavy ‘we have Henry Cavill at home vibes,'” said @UselessNobody8.

Meanwhile, @BlackDiscompose complained that “Henry Cavill is a MAN, David Corenswet is a boy,” claiming that “David is a cheap sorry-ass imitation of Henry Cavill. Why use a fake when they had the REAL THING?”
However, as one fan pointed out, it’s not that Corenswet looks like Cavill – it’s that they both just look like Superman. “Yeah that’s true,” wrote @TheJCElliott, “but Henry Cavill looks like Brandon Routh who looks like Tom Welling who looks like Christopher Reeve who looks like…you guys aren’t gonna believe this.”
Some fans are positive about Corenswet’s casting and the future of the DC Universe in general. “David Corenswet will make us believe in Superman,” wrote @BluRayAngel. User @GothamChief declared Corenswet as the “perfect choice for Clark Kent,” while some compared his energy to the Clark Kent depicted in the classic TV show Smallville.
david corenswet gives off such smallville clark kent vibes and it's making me want to cry pic.twitter.com/ciBPjmNWbp
— honey (@battinzel) June 28, 2023
What do you think about David Corenswet as Superman? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!