As you may already know, Henry Cavill portrayed Superman in the ill-fated DCEU. His final appearance was hinted at in Black Adam, a film that struggled both critically and financially. Cavill appeared in the post-credits scene, setting up a potential showdown between two powerful characters.

Cavill’s return to the role was briefly confirmed with plans for another standalone movie, but the studio soon announced the end of the DCEU just weeks after his return was made public.

After Black Adam was released, few expected it to flop so dramatically, especially given the post-credits scene teasing Henry Cavill’s Superman. Plans for a Man of Steel sequel and a significant role for Black Adam in the DCEU seemed promising.

However, when the film failed, WB executives chose to dismantle the entire universe, despite Cavill being instructed to announce his return as Superman. Weeks later, the studio confirmed Cavill’s dismissal and revealed that there were no future plans for either Black Adam or Cavill’s Superman.

James Gunn, who faced significant backlash, became the target of conspiracy theories alleging he had always intended to reboot the DCEU and replace existing actors, given his work on Peacemaker and Suicide Squad.

The major twist came months later when James Gunn and Peter Safran unveiled their new DCU slate, including a film titled Superman: Legacy. The movie’s description suggested Gunn was aiming for a younger Superman, despite his insistence that it wasn’t an origin story.

This was confirmed with the casting of David Corenswet in the role. Gunn later clarified that he had nothing to do with Cavill’s departure. In fact, Warner Bros. had already hired him to write the script for Legacy before Black Adam was even released.

It’s evident that Gunn isn’t at fault here. The studio clearly used Superman to try to rescue Black Adam and kept their plans for a DCEU reboot under wraps. Although the cameo didn’t save the film’s box office performance, it raises the question: why did the studio instruct Cavill to confirm the rumors? The intention behind the “hints,” “insinuations,” and “teases” is understandable, but was it really necessary for Cavill to publicly confirm that a Man of Steel sequel was in the works?