After the first few installments of the DC Extended Universe failed to make a case for a sustainable cinematic crossover series, it should come as little surprise that some of the franchise’s ‘Phase 1’ names are starting to distance themselves from the saga. But while there were certainly observable signs before this week that Henry Cavill may not be reprising the role of Superman for Man of Steel 2, fans could at least find hope in the actor’s continuing interest in finding new stories to tell with the character.
With this in mind, it makes sense to learn that Cavill’s recently confirmed departure was ultimately the decision of Warner Bros. Pictures, rather than the man himself. Having written the exclusive Hollywood Reporter article that announced Cavill’s exit, Tatiana Siegel then took to Twitter with the following clarification:
“As for who broke up with whom, Warner Bros. was the one who decided to move on from Henry Cavill.”
With Cavill’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice co-star Ben Affleck also seemingly hanging up the cape, it’s clear that the DCEU (or “Worlds of DC,” as some are calling it now) is undergoing a significant rebranding that will see the franchise moving away from its rocky past. The planned standalone Joker movie was already a strong indication that Warner are starting to lose faith in the Marvel-esque cinematic universe model, and even films set within the current continuity look to be less interconnected affairs.
In any case, it’s clear that Warner Bros. isn’t done with this saga quite yet, and while Man of Steel 2 feels a very long way off, Aquaman is hitting theaters on December 21st, 2018, while Shazam! and Wonder Woman 1984 will be opening in 2019 on April 5th and November 1st, respectively. As for Cavill, he looks to have his hands full with the upcoming Netflix series The Witcher.