While rumours continue to swirl around Ben Affleck about whether he’ll ever play Batman again, a new report suggests that his DCU castmate Henry Cavill could also be on the way out.
THR reports that Warner Bros and the Man Of Steel star are “parting ways” following a failure to work a Shazam! cameo into his schedule and the unlikelihood of another Superman film happening any time in the near future.
There’s been an ongoing reshuffle happening at the studio following Justice League‘s disappointing performance, and if this story is to believed, there’s no place in their upcoming roster for Cavill’s Clark Kent. They are, however, actively pursuing a Supergirl film. And, what’s more, Deadline claims that they’re eyeing up the brilliant Michael B Jordan as his replacement when they get back around to the Man Of Steel.
While Cavill has The Witcher Netflix series on his upcoming roster, it’s interesting to note that scheduling may not have been the reason for the Shazam! cameo working out, as one of THR’s sources claims “that the Witcher commitment came after the Warners impasse, suggesting a change in Warners’ strategy.” The again, their other source claimed it was scheduling, so who knows.
Meanwhile, the studio has Wonder Woman 1984 and Aquaman on the way, and seems committed to making Ezra Miller’s Flash movie work, with a start date set for early next year. However, there’s a definite shift away from the DCU that’s been established so far, with the standalone Joaquin Phoenix-starring Joker shooting soon, and Matt Reeves still working away on his Batman solo movie.
If Cavill doesn’t get the opportunity to don the cape again, it will feel like a missed opportunity. He was clearly a great fit for the role and when he was given the chance to shine, he did.
Shazam! is released on 5 April 2019.
