Black Adam star and producer Dwayne Johnson has teased that Henry Cavill might return as Superman in the DCEU, but Cavill’s Superman return must be more than just a potential fight against Black Adam. Considering how much The Rock has teased a crossover between Superman and Black Adam, it was expected that Black Adam’s press tour would see a lot of questions regarding Henry Cavill’s Superman. Dwayne Johnson’s recent comments on Superman’s role in the DCEU strongly hint that Henry Cavill will return, but how exactly that will happen and in what capacity is what will define whether Cavill’s Superman return will make up for more than five years without a DCEU Superman.
When asked if Black Adam will ever fight Superman in the DCEU, Dwayne Johnson answered, “Absolutely. That is the whole point of this man.” Such an assertive answer is by far the most promising update regarding Henry Cavill’s status as Superman in years, which by itself shows that there is a problem with how the DCEU treats Superman. Whether Superman will be part of the DCEU should have never been a topic of discussion in the first place. While the prospect of Henry Cavill’s Superman fighting The Rock’s Black Adam is exciting, Superman as a character deserves a much bigger role – including but not limited to Man of Steel sequels and a central role in a new Justice League movie.
The DCEU Has Wasted Henry Cavill’s Superman
While Zack Snyder’s take on Superman was highly divisive, Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Superman has always been pointed out as a highlight of Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Even if there were to be a course correction in the DCEU, Henry Cavill’s Superman could have been the pillar for a new chapter of the franchise – as it is hard to imagine a DC universe without Superman. However, following the infamous “Superman mustache” in Justice League, which weirdly symbolized how troubled the making of the team-up movie was, the DCEU simply gave up on continuing Superman’s story.
Whether Henry Cavill’s absence from the DCEU derived from creative decisions or from business decisions is difficult to say, but the fact is that Cavill’s last appearance as Superman was in 2017’s Justice League. Superman did appear in Shazam! and Peacemaker, yet Cavill did not return for either of those cameos. Henry Cavill never received another solo movie after Man of Steel, and while Batman v Superman thematically worked as a Man of Steel sequel, more than 10 years without a solo Superman adventure is a disservice both for the character and for Henry Cavill’s portrayal of Superman.
Superman vs. Black Adam Would Be A Good Start For Cavill’s Return
After so much time without Superman in the DCEU, plus all the uncertainty regarding the future of the franchise and what storylines will be canon going forward, a Superman vs. Black Adam fight would be a good start for Henry Cavil’s DCEU return. Dwayne Johnson has promised that Black Adam will be the start of a new era for the DCEU and that it will change the balance of power in the franchise, and there is no better way to do it than have Black Adam fight Superman at some point. Black Adam is introducing the Justice Society of America, which suggests that some sort of DCEU retcon might happen to accommodate the existence of the JSA. Still, Black Adam is in the DCEU, which means a potential Superman vs. Black Adam fight can set up a new beginning for Henry Cavill’s Superman.
Cavill’s Superman Needs To Be At The Center Of The DCEU
Henry Cavill returning as Superman to fight The Rock’s Black Adam at some point is exciting, but it should be the starting point for a much bigger Superman story. Superman needs to be the DCEU’s most important character and not just a recurring cameo or a co-protagonist in team-up films. Cavill’s last two DCEU movies were already team-ups, and no filmmaker other than Snyder has been given the chance to tell a Superman story in the franchise. As rich as DC’s universe is, the DCEU can only move so much forward without Superman.
The lack of a Superman and a Justice League is already starting to affect other DCEU movies, with many deemed new DCEU films as skippable, given that they are seemly now building toward a larger event. Henry Cavill’s Superman return can change that, as any movie involving Superman is already a cinematic event in potential. Superman can and should be the DCEU’s north, and Cavill’s return to the role would be a major first step into rebuilding the DCEU as an interconnected franchise. For that to happen, Henry Cavill’s potential Superman return has to lead to solo Superman films, a bigger presence in other DCEU movies, and perhaps even a Justice League sequel — all of which can be set in motion depending on what Black Adam will establish regarding Superman’s status in that universe.
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