James Gunn Shares Insights on Replacing Henry Cavill as Superman
James Gunn, the director and writer of the upcoming Superman film, has spoken openly for the first time about the decision to replace Henry Cavill in the role. This revelation came during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, which aired on Friday, July 18. During the episode, Gunn provided details about the situation surrounding Cavill’s departure from the new Superman movie, which is based on DC Comics.
The announcement of this change coincided with the news that The Man from U.N.C.L.E. would return following the release of Black Adam. At the same time, Gunn was appointed as co-head of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, marking a significant shift in the direction of the company. Plans were already in place for a new Superman film featuring a different actor, and Gunn shared how the team approached Cavill with the news.
Gunn described the moment as “terrible,” explaining that he and Safran sat down with Cavill to break the news. He admitted that it was a difficult conversation, especially since they had been working toward a new vision for the character. “The day our [DC] deal closed, all of a sudden, they were announcing that Henry was back,” Gunn said, expressing confusion over the sudden change. “And I’m like, ‘What is going on?’ We know what the plan is. The plan was to come in and do Superman. So it was really unfair to him and a total bummer.”
Gunn went on to explain that there was a “vacuum” at the time, with some individuals pushing their own ideas for the future of DC. However, he emphasized that these visions were not aligned with the goals of David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. While Gunn did not name any specific individuals, he acknowledged the challenge of being diplomatic while discussing the situation.
“I’m like, ‘this poor guy,’” Gunn added. “So Peter and I thought the right thing to do was to sit down with [Henry] and talk to him. And we sat down and we talked to him. He was an absolute gentleman, a great guy about it. He said, ‘The only thing I ask is that I’m able to reveal it myself as opposed to it coming from you guys.’”
Gunn agreed with Cavill’s request, and the podcast host, Josh Horowitz, praised Cavill as a “class act.” Horowitz then asked if it would be confusing to cast Cavill in the rebooted DC Universe (DCU). Gunn responded confidently, stating, “Absolutely not. I talked to him about it on that day.” He added, “I would love to put Henry in something.”
Cavill played Superman across four films and one cameo in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). His portrayal of the iconic character was well-received by fans and critics alike. With Gunn and Safran’s appointment as co-CEOs of DC Studios, the DCEU was rebranded into the DC Universe (DCU), signaling a fresh start for the franchise.
The first film in the new DCU, Superman, was directed and written by Gunn. It premiered on July 11, with David Corenswet stepping into the role of the Man of Steel. The film also features a star-studded cast, including Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, Skyler Gisondo, Anthony Carrigan, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillon, Isabela Merced, María Gabriela de Faría, Sara Sampaio, Wendell Pierce, Beck Bennett, Mikaela Hoover, Neva Howell, and Pruitt Taylor Vince.
