Superman director James Gunn reveals 'terrible' way Henry Cavill was fired from DC
Superman director James Gunn revealed the "terrible" way Henry Cavill was fired from his role as the iconic superhero. The Scooby Doo director was hired by Warner Bros to oversee the studio's DC movies after a series of failed projects, and one of his first jobs was to hire a new actor to take on the role of Clark Kent.
However, Warner Bros rashly told Henry he would come back as the beloved comic book character, leaving James the job of telling him he was actually fired. During his appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Guardians of the Galaxy director James said Henry was treated "unfairly" by the studio.
'It's terrible – believe it or not, the day we were dealing with trying to figure out if we could take the job at DC Studios, the day the deal closed, all of a sudden, they were announcing that Henry was back," he explained.
'I was like, 'What is going on? We know what the plan is. The plan was to come in and do Superman. It was really unfair to him and a total bummer.'
James, whose Superman reboot was recently released, said: "There was a vacuum at the time and a lot of people had a take on what they wanted to do at DC and they were trying to force their way and it was just never part of the equation.
'We came in, and that was really unfortunate. I'm like, 'This poor guy.'' Thankfully, Henry took the difficult news like an "absolute gentleman", as James praised the actor.
'He said, the only thing I ask is that I'm able to reveal it myself as opposed to coming from you guys.' And I'm like, 'That's a class act'," James added before saying he wants to work with Henry in a DC film in the future.
The current Clark Kent is David Corenswet, who recently admitted he tried to think of reasons not to take on the iconic role. In a recent interview, David revealed there was a moment he was hesitant about taking the role.
'A role like Superman seems like something that everybody would want, and that's not true. There are some people who wouldn't want that role and who would, if given the opportunity, say no. I am obviously not one of those people," he told GQ Hype.
"But I certainly tried to think of reasons not to. Ultimately, what I landed on for myself was, if this is the only role I get to play for the rest of my life, and that means whether I get to play it once or get to play it 10 times, would I still say yes? And the answer was yes."
During the same interview, director James discussed the box office pressure on the movie and said the movie "isn't the riskiest endeavour in the world".
It was reported online that the movie would need to earn $700 million minimum to be successful, but James called the reports "just complete and utter nonsense".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
The best moment in Superman was almost cut - it would have been a disaster
The new Superman movie is at its most epic when we see Clark Kent's endless compassion – but filmmaker James Gunn has revealed he almost cut out the very moment that shows this best. After the immense pressure to bring one of the most beloved superheroes of all time back to the big screen it would have been easy for the new Superman to crash and burn. Especially in a cultural landscape saturated with superhero content from the likes of rival studio, Marvel (who have their own summer blockbuster, Fantastic Four, about to come out) – retelling Superman's story for old and new audiences is no easy task. Heck, it's only been three years since Henry Cavill last appeared as an iteration of Superman in a movie (Black Adam) so cementing David Corenswet as the newly-baptised Daily Planet reporter was already a tall order. Yet, if the glowing reviews and mightily impressive box office figures are anything to go by, Gunn's vision and the standout cast to go with it (also starring Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor) has been an undeniable smash hit. When scrolling through people's takes on social media, discussing it with my friends, or even pondering it at 2am while staring at my ceiling – one reason jumps out above all others. Unlike so much of the superhero content of recent years that prioritises mammoth displays of strength and overly-involved action scenes that forget their characters' human alter egos – in Superman we see the opposite. Yes, it's about battling the enemy, but it's more about preserving the world you love in the big and small ways. We may not all be capable of shooting lasers from our eyes and flying from disaster to disaster but we are all capable of small acts of kindness, no matter how unexpected. It's hardly a new perspective, plenty of people have been praising the movie's human first approach, making Superman's greatest strength his non-super qualities (whether the love he learnt from Ma and Pa Kent or the fierce protectiveness he feels for all living creatures). It harks back to the Clark we know and love from the prequel series, Smallville (coincidentally David's favourite version) who, during one episode, declares his greatest powers are his parents. We've teamed up with Camp Bestival Dorset to give one lucky Metro reader and their family the chance to win family weekend tickets, worth up to £1,172! Created by families, for families, Camp Bestival combines all the fun of a fantastic family camping holiday with everything you would expect from a perfect and action-packed festival adventure. Headliners include music legend Sir Tom Jones, pop icons Sugababes, plus a carnival-filled live show from electronic music duo Basement Jaxx. Simply enter your details here to be in with a chance of winning four tickets to this epic experience. You have until midnight on 23 July to enter. Good luck! * Open to GB residents (excluding Northern Ireland) aged 18+. Promotion opens at 18:01 on 16/7/25 and closes at 23:59 on 23/7/25. Entrant must submit their first and last name, email address, date of birth and postcode when prompted via the entry form available on (available here). 1 prize available of a family weekend camping ticket, including two (2) adult tickets and up to four (4) child and/or teen tickets in any combination as chosen by the winner to attend Camp Bestival (Lulworth Castle, Dorset) from 31st July 2025 to 3rd August 2025. Maximum 1 entry per person. Attendance is governed by the Camp Bestival Terms and Conditions. Full T&Cs apply, see here. No scene proves this better than the small, blink-and-you-miss-it moment when Superman dives to save a squirrel while battling the mid-movie Big Bad. Even in the cinema it elicited a delighted response from the audience with a fond chuckle escaping nearly everyone's lips. It's miniscule moments like this that made the movie, and Superman's characterisation, so fleshed out, grounded and realistic. In many ways, it is just as important as the grand speeches about what it means to be human and the sequences of Superman single-handedly holding up crumbling buildings. Which is why it was so shocking to learn that Gunn almost cut it out of the final version. He told Rolling Stone: 'We showed it to test audiences and some people did not like the squirrel. They're like, 'Why the f**k is he saving a squirrel? Why is he taking time out, saving a squirrel?'' Not sure who they chose to participate in the test audience but they may have missed the point of the movie entirely? Luckily, Gunn stayed strong with his vision, adding: 'There was a cut where I cut it out and I'm like, 'I really miss the squirrel. He's gotta save the squirrel.'' Thank goodness he did, as many fans have reiterated. 'The whole point behind him saving the squirrel was to show his kind heart & willingness to go out of his way for everyone – even the most innocent & tiny of creatures,' X user miss_mjoy shared. 'I liked that no creature no matter how small is seen as insignificant to Superman The squirrel was peak,' the blue elite agreed. 'It's VERY clear some people don't understand Superman in the slightest. 'Why would Superman save a squirrel' BECAUSE ALL LIFE IS PRECIOUS!! BECAUSE ITS THE RIGHT THING TO DO!!' gooberboober42 echoed. 'People that show no sympathy for the squirrel don't understand anything about Superman,' Spideyloui added. More Trending You get the point. The moment may seem insignificant to some – after all if Gunn had gone ahead with the cut it wouldn't have been a notable plot omission – but there would have been something missing. It's a small but mighty part of the beating heart of this movie that has made it so special to people so quickly – and that lack of soul certainly would have been noticed, and perhaps even detrimental. It's more clear than ever that superhero fans are yearning for less carbon cutout powerhouses and for more fallible heroes with the best intentions – and that's what makes scenes like this so important. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Fans are convinced James Gunn just revealed 'perfect' next Batman actor MORE: Games Inbox: What is the next big game for Nintendo Switch 2? MORE: Superman forced to cut two scenes after they were deemed 'overly sensual'
Daily Record
8 hours ago
- Daily Record
MOVIE REVIEW: We see if 'Superman' is a soaring start to the new 'DCU'
Vulnerable and battle-hardened 'Man of Steel' rocks in emotional thrill ride. James Gunn, co-creator of the new DC Universe ( DCU) 'media franchise', has taken it upon himself to helm its first big screen outing. David Corenswet stars as the Man of Steel and, thankfully, we dive straight into the action as there was no need for another take on Superman's origin story. Truthfully, despite really enjoying Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and Suicide Squad, I was nervous for this as the trailers hinted at a humour-heavy tone. There is some of that here but it doesn't overwhelm the story Gunn, also on writing duties, is trying to tell and with the odd exception - turning Skyler Gisondo's Jimmy Olsen into a ladies' magnet - laughs are earned. Raw emotion is often delivered - pretty much any scene involving Corenswet and Pruitt Taylor Vince's Pa Kent - and although we see very little of Corenswet's Clark, this is the most vulnerable cinematic Superman yet. Corenswet excels, whether his Man of Steel is physically and mentally beaten, wrestling with his adopted humanity, sharing tender moments with Rachel Brosnahan's Lois Lane or soaring through the skies into battle. There are a lot of characters but most get time to shine and Gunn doesn't burden his film with too many teases of what is to come in the DCU. Brosnahan is a steadfast, initiative-taking Lois, Nicholas Hoult's hot-headed, manipulative Lex Luthor is a nice throwback to the hyper-intelligent inventor often seen in animated form, Edi Gathegi's deadpan Mr Terrific is a surprise scene-stealer and, as made obvious in the trailers, Krypto makes for a wonderful canine companion. A late villain reveal is extremely obvious and, at times, there's an overload of CGI amid punch-heavy combat. And Gunn makes a brave change to Superman's origin that may annoy some devotees - but I was on board with it. Superman as a whole soars high on the comic-book movie scale as well as setting the stage for an exciting future for DC fans young and old. ● Are you excited for the new DCU? What characters are you looking forward to seeing on screen? ● Superman is showing in cinemas now. And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here.
Spectator
11 hours ago
- Spectator
Superman has always been ‘woke'
The moment I heard that there'd been a backlash against James Gunn's reboot of the Superman franchise on the grounds that he'd ruined this great American icon by turning the Man of Steel 'woke', I thought, sign me up! Until then, I hadn't been planning to go. Even as a longtime enthusiast for all things men-in-tights, I have always found the big blue schoolboy a bit of a bore. But now I was intrigued. Were they going to make the Man of Steel gender fluid? Have him bop some thinly disguised avatar of Donald Trump on the nose like Captain America socking Hitler? Friends, I was bitterly disappointed. Of wokeness, in this messy and basically terrible new movie, there was very little sign. It turns out that there's one scene in which Lex Luthor denounces him as an 'alien' – which he is – and Supes makes some syrupy speech about our common humanity. This, I guess, has been taken to be a ruthless attack on ICE's mission to purge the US of immigrants. And, y'know, our hero stops one country with a very well-funded military from invading its armed-with-sticks-and-stones neighbours (it's Israel/Palestine! No: it's Russia/Ukraine!… or maybe it is, even more insidious, a general principle). And the villain is a megalomaniac tech billionaire, which comic book villains have been since long before megalomaniac tech billionaires actually became comic book villains. All comic book properties these days are positively marinated in nostalgia But if you think that broad-brush comic book endorsements of defending the weak against the strong, or objecting to rolling tanks over people armed with sticks and stones, or any suggestion that undocumented aliens can be human too, constitutes 'woke propaganda', you need to give your head a bit of a wobble. If standing up for 'truth, justice and the American way' strikes you as unfairly partisan, we may have to start wondering what principles we're allowed to give goodies in movies. I thought it was the left that these guys liked to accuse of moral relativism. Also, I can't wait to tell you about Jesus. Does it need repeating for the zillionth time that by these standards, Superman has always been 'woke'? That he was the creation of two nerdy Jewish boys whose families fled European anti-Semitism, that he made his debut just before the second world war made its debut, and that opposition to fascism was kind of his big thing? Do we have to dig out all those spot-coloured panels from half a century ago in which Superman piously lectures passers-by about how un-American it is to discriminate against people on the grounds of race, creed or colour? The more interesting and more subtle question, I think, is not to do with the predictable conniptions that this children's movie has caused in pantwetting Maga influencers of a certain stripe. It is, rather, that of whether superhero movies (and comics) are by their nature not 'woke' but, at a deep level, what the young people would call fascist-coded. There's a decent case that they are. Their narrative roots are in the oral mythologies of the pre-democratic, pre-Christian world. They are myths, and their heroes are spandex-clad godlings, and their basic message is that humanity needs the vigilante violence of near-invincible individuals, answerable only to themselves, to keep it on the straight and narrow. Comic book universes and superhero stories offer the fantasy of a world in which problems are simple to solve through violence, and the goodies and baddies are painted in bold bright colours – the same fantasy populist and, at the extreme of this tendency, fascist politics depend on. It can't have escaped anyone that 'superman' is the most common translation of Nietzsche's 'Ubermensch' – and we know who loved that idea. Also, all comic book properties these days are positively marinated in nostalgia – the nostalgia of the grown adults who encounter them now for the pristine thrill of their childhood encounters with these characters (I don't mind admitting that includes me). And nostalgia is a cornerstone of fascism – a fantasy of returning to a simpler, purer world before the wokes or the postmodernists or the feminists or the rootless cosmopolitans ruined it for everyone. All these, be it said, are points that the more intelligent writers of superhero comics have repeatedly addressed. Marvel's Civil War plotline (somewhat adapted for the Avengers movie) addressed the vigilante question: unexpectedly and interestingly, Captain America (Marvel's own big blue schoolboy), comes out in the no-democratic-oversight corner, while Iron Man goes to bat for democratic oversight and the military-industrial complex. Alan Moore's Watchmen – named for its on-the-nose evocation of Juvenal ('quis custodiet…') – had looked at just the same issue some years earlier. It concluded that anyone who wanted to set the world to rights by dressing up in a cape and mask and beating spit out of the bad guys deserved a psychological once-over. And it's no accident that 'Nostalgia' was the brand name of the villain's perfume. At the same time as that, back in the late 1980s, Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns drew thrilling power from the mythic grandeur of its set-up, without stinting on the darker aspects of that set-up's appeal: Bats, in despair at juvenile delinquents and liberal apologists for the Joker, comes out of retirement to beat and murder these unwelcome avatars of modernity. (Frank Miller's later politics suggest that he may have got a bit too high on his own supply.) So we can rebuke comics for peddling dangerously simplistic narratives of violent redress by godlike creatures answering to nothing so boring as democracy or the rule of law. But at the same time, I'd suggest we should also step back and – rather than getting our knickers in a twist about whether they are woke propaganda or fascist myth-making – sidestep the whole thing by recognising that they are children's entertainments. Children's entertainments can and should be enjoyed by grown-ups too, but their moral outlooks only make a difference in the world when those grown-ups are childish enough to think that they need to. I took my 11-year-old. What's your excuse?
