Should Henry Cavill Continue to Play Superman? (Great Debate)

Great Debate

There’s been lots of speculation regarding the future of the Superman movie franchise. Sequel or reboot, the question remains who will play Superman?

So, in the third instalment of our “Great Debate” feature, we ask the question…

Should Henry Cavill continue to play Superman?

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Great Debate - Henry Cavill

Who do you agree with?

Many thanks to our Great Debaters – Marc Lax and Julian Finn.

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VladimirAlpha1993
VladimirAlpha1993
April 28, 2022 7:57 am

Team Henry forever!

pachycruz
pachycruz
April 28, 2022 9:32 am

Hope they bring Henry back! He has all it takes to be a wonderful and credible Superman!

Superman2878
April 28, 2022 10:04 am

I’m not a fan of Henry Cavill’s take on Superman. However I recognize and acknowledge that he has a fan following. So I’m putting my own feelings aside for the sake of a bigger picture and I’m asking for what I think and believe could be in the best interests of the Superman character. And what I’m asking for is multiple actors playing Superman at the same time. This is why I think that there should be multiple versions of Superman in the movies,on tv,and on HBOmax. Embrace the multiverse! I see no reason why one version of Superman has… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Superman2878
Carstonio
Carstonio
April 28, 2022 12:14 pm

All the movies with Cavill have been disappointments in various ways, with little of the character’s idealism. Man of Steel seemed primarily like an extended exercise in demolishing buildings. And the scripts lift story elements from the comics (Zod’s death, the Dark Knight Returns confrontation) while stripping them of their context. But that’s not Cavill’s fault. He does well with what he has been given. He’s getting close to 40, so if a different writer and director wanted to use him, they should probably set the character’s age at 40 as well. Perhaps contrast him with the 1990s Superboy or… Read more »

afriend
afriend
April 28, 2022 4:36 pm
Reply to  Carstonio

“Man of Steel seemed primarily like an extended exercise in demolishing buildings.” And ShakyCam ™… So much ShakyCam ™. But to your point of Cavill doing the best he could with what he had to work with, I used to point to the latter seasons of the 50s TV and Superman III and IV as not being objectively good, but George Reeves and Christopher Reeve being good IN them. But it dawned on me (I can be taught!!) that in both cases they had earlier, better projects to get their respective footings, and they just carried that over. A more… Read more »

afriend
afriend
April 28, 2022 3:54 pm

I guess they *could* course-correct (hard) and keep Cavill. In fact, say what you want about the relative merits of either version, but at least in the obvious Whedon scenes of the theatrical cut or Justice League, he actually acted like Superman should imo. But they’re going to have to dump a lot of baggage to make it work. I would think of it like when they’ve tried to retool the Bond franchise partway through an actor’s tenure (think Moonraker giving way to the far more down to earth For Your Eyes Only). So tl;dr they can keep Cavill, if… Read more »

Loganswalk
Loganswalk
April 28, 2022 7:15 pm

Nope. It’s not Cavills fault but this take on Superman has been a disaster (IMO). Time to clean house and start fresh.

WHSuperman
WHSuperman
April 30, 2022 9:54 pm

I completely disagree with the writer who said “No”. I think Superman is someone who shouldn’t ever change due to the iconic history of him. We always see people wanting a blonde or black Superman. Why do we not see that in Batman. Everyone is fine with a white man playing Batman. Make Bruce Hispanic. Make him have red hair. Kidding. Seriously, though, I think the writing is changing Superman for the worse in some aspect and some for the better, but we need to keep the look. Keep the powers. Keep Henry. He is America and UKs sweetheart. Do… Read more »

thekentfarm
thekentfarm
May 4, 2022 7:15 pm

Bring back Henry. He deserves 2 full movies. Btw… you have got to take another look at the bewitched uncle arthur superman. Especially the shape of the “S” emblem. Look familiar? comment image?w=810&ssl=1

Kal-Elvis
May 5, 2022 5:45 am

It’s a shame to see the “no” side call what Tyler is doing an impression of Reeve. On Supergirl, I’d say yes – but not anymore. It’s an extention, to some degree, but his Superman is his own and (in ways, at least) more full-bodied than Reeve’s had a chance to be. I hated MoS. Left the movie sick to my stomach for a week. And I heckled BvS in the theater, it was so bad. But Henry? I like Henry. Brandon got the short straw due to a poor vision with “Superman Returns,” much as Henry has with the… Read more »

Superman2878
May 6, 2022 2:30 am
Reply to  Kal-Elvis

Exactly! The multiverse idea is the best approach for Superman right now. Give everyone what they want in seeing a version of Superman that they want. I see no reason why we can’t have more than one Superman. Since the new people in charge want to make Superman a priority and successful again, I really do think that the best way for them to do that is a green light for multiple versions of Superman. We could be witnessing such success for Superman the likes that has never been done before in history. And all WB-Discovery has to do is… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Superman2878
Kal-Elvis
May 7, 2022 6:25 pm
Reply to  Superman2878

Yeah, I don’t get why they never see it with Superman. There’s already going to be several Batmen (Pattinson, plus Keaton is back and Affleck is making a cameo at least). Also, I agree on Superman Returns.. the idea itself isn’t terrible – imo, the execution was. It’s one thing to continue a version’s story with new actors, it’s one thing to reference a past version, but most of the movie was that, particularly Superman’s lines. It’s like Chris Farley’s “you know that one time when you did that thing… that was so cool” character wrote the script, and then… Read more »

Superman2878
May 8, 2022 11:25 am
Reply to  Kal-Elvis

Yeah I don’t get why they don’t see how successful Routh’s Superman is either. Fans are literally asking for Routh’s Superman to return. He should have gotten more screen time as Superman for Crisis. I just hope that WB-Discovery realizes this and bring him back for more of his Superman. He deserves more time as Superman. Way more time.

Last edited 1 year ago by Superman2878
Superman2878
May 8, 2022 3:19 pm
Reply to  Kal-Elvis

Totally agree with you about the multiverse. I hope that there will be more fans also asking for a multiverse crossover of the three Supermen as well, and that maybe those in charge of Superman movie, tv, and streaming properties will realize the advantage of a crossover and make it happen. I truly do believe that the more of us fans that ask for this multiverse crossover to happen, the more likely I believe it will happen.

Last edited 1 year ago by Superman2878
drhoads58
drhoads58
May 6, 2022 11:26 am

I feel he should at the very least do one more movie. We still haven’t seen what we all want to see from Superman.

Superman2878
May 6, 2022 12:59 pm

Routh should get a HBOmax Superman series that should go up to at least 10 seasons, and a Kingdom Come movie trilogy. He played a version of the Kingdom Come Superman in the Crisis crossover, so he could age into the role even more so. I’d say that Routh has an advantage in having played an older version of Superman. So time is on his side. And I would really like to see Routh’s Superman meet and team up with Kenton’s Batman. Also make a multiverse movie trilogy tying in all three recent versions of Superman. Routh, Cavill, and Hoechlin… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Superman2878