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Credit: Warner Bros.Henry Cavill has been replaced by David Corenswet as the Superman of James Gunn’s new DC Universe, but it turns out we have not seen the last of the British actor yet.
The abrupt departure of Henry Cavill from the role of Superman was a shock to many DC fans, especially after Black Adam (2022) teased a face-off between the Man of Steel and Dwayne Johnson’s magically empowered anti-hero. However, James Gunn’s new vision for the DCU includes very little of Zack Snyder’s abortive DC Extended Universe, including its central superhero actor.
It turns out that not everyone involved in the DCU is quite as ready to sweep the Snyderverse into oblivion. In particular, Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto says that the Henry Cavill version of Superman has a part in his upcoming superhero movie.
Related: DC Accidentally Just Spoiled James Gunn’s Superman Plans
‘Blue Beetle’ and Henry Cavill
In a recent interview with Nestor Bentancor, the Blue Beetle director revealed that the upcoming movie starring Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes will involve the Henry Cavill version of Superman.
Specifically, Angel Manuel Soto says that his movie will directly reference Man of Steel (2013), the first film to star Henry Cavill as Superman, and the kickoff of Zack Snyder’s chaotic attempt to wrangle the lore of DC Comics. Apparently, Soto is a huge fan of Snyder’s movies and has incorporated some elements of it into Blue Beetle.
The director specifically says that “Waking up in Mexico to the news that [Zack] Snyder wants to see it too, a director that I respect so much, that his films are an immense influence… Even in Blue Beetle, there are some references to Man of Steel that we made out of honor and respect for the work and art of Zack Snyder. Also, seeing David Ayer sharing it… It’s like, ‘WOW, brother!’ How nice it feels to have that support from people that one respects and that the fans also respect.”
Soto does not say exactly how Henry Cavill’s Superman will be referenced, which opens up a whole lot of possibilities. Will we get Susan Sarandon referencing General Zod’s (Michael Shannon) attack on Metropolis, as recently seen in The Flash (2023)? Will Xolo Maridueña have a poster of Cavill on his bedroom wall? Will we get to see Superman through archival footage? Only time will tell.
‘Superman: Legacy’ or ‘Blue Beetle’
Blue Beetle has a confusing status in James Gunn’s DCU. While the DC Studios creative head has explicitly said the movie is part of his franchise reboot, he has also said that his upcoming Superman: Legacy will basically be the new starting point of the DCU, leaving it with a foot in both the past and the future.
Related: Andrew Garfield and Henry Cavill Lost Millions Over One Glaring Mistake
The news that Blue Beetle will look back to Henry Cavill as Superman and the past movies that James Gunn is working overtime to move past makes it seem like the movie might be more aligned with Zack Snyder’s old canon than Gunn’s new one.
It is likely that whatever references to Henry Cavill and Superman that Blue Beetle makes will be the last we may get to see of his variant of the last Kryptonian, so we’ll have to enjoy it while we can.
Are you excited to see David Corenswet as Superman, or is James Gunn making a mistake by getting rid of Henry Cavill? Let us know in the comments below!