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Credit: DC / Warner Bros.The DC fandom has been rocked once again. But what’s actually going on with the new DC Universe? Is James Gunn really on his way out, or is it nothing more than a rumor? And is Henry Cavill really set to reprise his role as Clark Kent/Superman in a DCU-adjacent DCEU return? Let’s find out.
A few days ago, Man of Steel (2013) director Zack Snyder shared a black-and-white image of Cavill as the titular Kryptonian to his Instagram with a caption that included the words “Henry Cavill is Superman”. Since the post, fans have gone wild trying to work out what the picture means.
Could Cavill be returning, or is it nothing more than Snyder showing off his very impressive photography skills? Check it out below:
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Then, on Monday, the official Netflix France X (Twitter) account sent fans into another frenzy after posting a split image of Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam (from the 2022 film of the same name) and Henry Cavill’s Superman (a still of him from that film’s mid-credits scene), with the caption “1 vs 1, who wins?”
The tweet has had over 500k views in just two days, and has led some to believe that it’s another potential hint at Cavill’s return (just take a look at the comments section).
1 vs 1, qui gagne ?
BLACK ADAM, c’est dispo. pic.twitter.com/vr1GtbI4y8
— Netflix France (@NetflixFR) October 20, 2025
Henry Cavill’s Superman Return
Of course, Netflix France is probably just plugging Black Adam. After all, what does Netflix have to do with Warner Bros. and DC? But given everything that’s been happening within the DC fandom these past few days, it’s hardly surprising that this has fanned the flames of speculation of Henry Cavill’s potential as Superman return even more.
James Gunn’s New DCU Is a Hot Mess
It seems that Snyder was simply sharing some photography, as he would later also post a similar picture of Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke, who appears in an end scene for Justice League (2021), Snyder’s behemoth cut of the 2017 film he was forced to abandon and hand over to Joss Whedon (Avengers: Endgame) due to a personal tragedy.
And most recently, he also shared a picture of Ben Affleck’s Batman in a similar fashion.
However, this all comes amid speculation that James Gunn’s newly established DC Universe (DCU), which kick-started theatrically with this summer’s Superman (2025) with David Corenswet in the title role, is in trouble.
The DCU essentially replaces the defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU), which includes Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) – also directed by Snyder – and Justice League (2021).
Related: Goodbye, Affleck, Cavill, and Gadot: New DCU’s Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman Revealed
Superman (2025) grossed over $600 million worldwide against an estimated budget of $225 million, but it received mixed reviews from audiences, who felt that the film was too similar to Gunn’s previous “rag-tag ensemble” projects like the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, The Suicide Squad (2021), and the HBO series Peacemaker, and, as such, didn’t give the IP the gravitas it’s often been treated with, particularly in previous reboots like Cavill’s 2013 outing.
But for the wider DCU, there are also growing concerns over continuity, as Gunn has confused fans by stating what’s canon and what isn’t after cherry-picking certain films and characters from the DCEU.
He’s even stated that Peacemaker Season 2 is canon, which makes as much sense as it sounds. Not only has this confused fans who weren’t that thrilled with the idea of another DC shared universe to begin with, but it’s alienated them, too.
Will Zack Snyder Return?
Needless to say, the DCU hasn’t gotten off to the best start, and now, it’s even being reported that Warner Bros. Discovery is receiving unsolicited acquisition offers from third parties (per Variety). If an acquisition happens, could it leave Gunn out in the cold where the DC franchise is concerned? Rumors have circulated for a while, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Meanwhile, fans of the “Snyderverse” – which is considered a universe within a universe as some view it as existing in its own separate continuity from the wider DCEU – are calling for his return, with many feeling that Cavill, who’s widely considered one of the best iterations of the character in film alongside the legend Christopher Reeve, didn’t get a proper send-off.
After his Man of Steel debut, Cavill reprised his role in Batman v Superman, Justice League (2017), Justice League (2021), and for a minor cameo in Black Adam.
The New DCU Continues (For Now)
There’s no denying that the DCEU was a huge mess, with jarring shifts in tone and quality between films, ups and downs at the box office, and an overall lack of direction not unlike Disney’s Star Wars sequel trilogy. But the new DCU isn’t looking much better.
David Corenswet gave a solid performance as Clark Kent/Superman, and overall, Superman is pretty entertaining. It’s everything else that orbits the film that seems to be the real problem, including Gunn’s overall vision for the entire franchise moving forward.
For now, the franchise is moving forward, with Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, starring Milly Alcock in the lead role, flying into theaters next year, and Superman: Man of Tomorrow, a sequel to this year’s reboot, set to follow the year after. Other upcoming theatrical projects include a Batman reboot titled The Brave and the Bold (TBA).
Will James Gunn’s DCU push forward despite a rocky start, or will the Snyderverse return? Can both things be true? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!