James Gunn on Henry Cavill's Superman exit: 'It was really unfair to him and a total bummer'
In a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, DC Studios co-head James Gunn opened up about the difficult conversation he had with Cavill when he and Peter Safran took over the reins of DC Studios in 2022.
Reflecting on the situation, Gunn revealed his admiration for Cavill and left the door open for the actor's future in the franchise.
'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,' recalled Gunn. 'The day the deal closed, all of a sudden, they were announcing that Henry was back. And 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.'
According to Gunn, the circumstances surrounding their appointment were less than ideal, with various competing visions for the DC brand at the time.
'There was a vacuum at the time and a lot of people were… They 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 for [WBD CEO] David Zaslav,' said Gunn. 'We came in, and that was really unfortunate. I'm like, 'This poor guy.''
Despite the upheaval, Gunn emphasised Cavill's professionalism and grace when they informed him of the decision to move in a different direction.
'He was an absolute gentleman and a great guy about it,' Gunn shared. '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.''
Though Cavill will not be reprising his role as Superman, Gunn confirmed discussions were had about future opportunities within the restructured DCU.
'I talked to him about it on that day. I would love to put Henry in something,' said Gunn.
The upcoming 'Superman' film, starring Corenswet, will be the first official instalment of the new DC Universe, kicking off its 'Gods and Monsters' phase under the creative vision of Gunn and Safran.
While Cavill's time as the Man of Steel may be over, fans can still hold out hope for his return to the DC world in a brand-new role.
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