Henry Cavill will not be reprising his role as Superman in any upcoming DC films as Warner Bros. is shifting its focus to a standalone “Supergirl” movie, individuals with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap.
An insider said the studio wasn’t rushing to make another installment in the “Man of Steel” franchise. In 2019, Warner Bros. has “Shazam!” and “Wonder Woman 2” being released, while 2020 will see “Birds of Prey” and “The Flash” — so the studio has a full slate for now with no room for another “Superman” film. Moreover, the studio is setting its sights on a “Supergirl” movie, for which no one has been cast yet, although Oren Uziel is writing the script for it.
“Birds of Prey” will begin shooting in January, while “The Flash” will start production in March. “Wonder Woman 2” is currently filming. Realistically, another “Superman” installment could only come into fruition in 2021.
The British actor first appeared as the superhero in 2013’s “Man of Steel,” followed by 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and 2017’s “Justice League.” He was set to have a cameo in “Shazam!” but contract negotiations dwindled, and he will not appear in DC’s upcoming “Aquaman” or “Wonder Woman 2” movies either.
The deal between Cavill and Warner Bros. might have also fallen through due to scheduling conflicts: he most recently signed on to Netflix’s “The Witcher” saga to play the role of Geralt of Rivia.
The news of Cavill comes after TheWrap exclusively reported that Ben Affleck’s future of playing Batman on the big screen may be over as well, due to insurance costs. Moreover, TheWrap previously reported that “The Batman” director Matt Reeves is already exploring the idea of casting a younger actor as the Caped Crusader in the upcoming standalone film.
A WB spokesperson told TheWrap: “We have a great relationship and great respect for Henry Cavill that continues to remain unchanged. Additionally we have made no current decisions regarding any upcoming Superman films.”
Representatives for Cavill have not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.