Key Takeaways

Henry Cavill’s departure from Superman creates exciting opportunities for his talent to shine in the MCU with iconic roles like Wolverine and Mister Sinister.
Cavill’s physique, charisma, and acting chops make him a perfect fit for Wolverine’s grizzled attitude, Mister Sinister’s diabolical nature, and the stoic leadership of Cyclops.
From classic X-Men characters like Sabretooth to lesser-known heroes like Union Jack, Cavill has the star power and skill to bring these characters to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

With the recent shakeup over at DC, Henry Cavill has had to hang up the red cape and crest of Superman, leaving behind the Kryptonian at the DCEU. Whilst Henry Cavill may be Superman no more, there is always room for his talent, star power, and muscles, over at Marvel Studios. But which character could Henry Cavill do justice for the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

Whilst some spots are taken, the MCU’s multiverse opens a gateway of infinite possibilities, and endless roles that Henry Cavill could try out. After all, this is Superman, so he needs someone truly iconic if he is to come over to Marvel, and it seems like Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine proves just that.

8 Wolverine

Cavill Is Perfect For A Hairy, Muscular, Adamantium Claws, And Grizzled Attitude

Created by: Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita
First Appearance: Incredible Hulk #180 (July 1974)

This one might be cheating a tad, considering Henry Cavill has already appeared as Wolverine in the MCU thanks to a quick and exciting cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine. However, that doesn’t mean that Henry Cavill should be excluded from the conversation. After all, it’s a popular casting choice among fans and the creators of Deadpool & Wolverine for a reason.

Despite his hulking height, Henry Cavill looks the part. The mutton chops are great, and the fierce personality is aided by those big muscles, so why shouldn’t he take on the Wolverine? After all, if anyone is supposed to take over from Hugh Jackman, why not let it be the former Superman?

7 Mister Sinister

An Immortal Victorian Scientist Who Experiments On Mutants To Perfect Them

Created by: Chris Claremont, Marc Silvestri
First Appearance: Uncanny X-Men #221 (June 1987)

A relatively unused X-Men villain, but one of their most famous in the comics, is Mister Sinister. Sinister harbors a deep interest in Mutants, and craves to indulge in their genetic material to create the strongest and most advanced species with their DNA. Sinister deserves his name, and Henry Cavill deserves a shot at playing the bad guy, especially one as rich as this.

Mister Sinister can easily be a loyal foe to the X-Men and Mutantkind, and as the Mutant Saga begins in the MCU, some of its best villains should be brought forward, and someone as diabolical as Mister Sinister can certainly challenge the new X-Men.

6 Sabretooth

Embrace Being Bad With Wolverine’s Most Violent And Hulking Rival

Created by: Chris Claremont, John Byrne
First Appearance: Iron Fist #14 (May 1977)

If the MCU is going to have a Wolverine that isn’t Henry Cavill, then it’s going to need a Sabretooth that is. Sabretooth is the iconic rival to Wolverine, and there’s no stopping his lust for violence. He lives to cause Wolverine immense pain and grief. Wolverine needs a competent Sabretooth, and Henry Cavill is the right size for the job.

Whether the MCU makes Sabretooth Wolverine’s brother, or just a rival in the Weapon X program, having an experienced actor play Victor Creed would elevate the chemistry between the two. Sabretooth’s cruelty and sadistic nature could be fun to see Cavill sink his teeth into.

5 Cyclops

The Stoic Leader Of The X-Men Who Wants To See Mutants And Humans Unite

Created by: Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
First Appearance: X-Men #1 (July 1963)

Almost as popular as the casting of Wolverine is that of Cyclops, the leader of the X-Men who needs to be in the spotlight for the MCU’s reboot of the Mutants. Whilst Wolverine is more popular, Cyclops deserves to be cooler, and Henry Cavill has the charisma to give Cyclops the treatment that Hugh Jackman gave Wolverine, allowing for the character to remain a leader in the MCU and not become second-place to Wolverine again.

Henry Cavill has experience playing stoic leaders. After all, this was Superman. With his height and his calculating presence, Cavill could bring Scott Summers to life, allowing for strength and respect to be shown in live-action as Cyclops leads the X-Men and juggles his own personal problems.

4 Captain Britain

The United Kingdom’s Premiere Peacekeeper And Omniverse Guardian

Created by: Chris Claremont, Herb Trimpe
First Appearance: Captain Britain #1 (October 1976)

Whilst Henry Cavill cannot represent America with Captain America, he can indeed represent the entirety of Britain with this role that has yet to be introduced into the MCU. Captain Britain is more than just a Captain America rip-off; this brave leader deserves someone who can make him as iconic on screen as he is on the Marvel pages, and Henry Cavill easily fits the bill that is needed of Captain Britain.

Captain Britain’s mystical powers will allow Cavill to have further fun in the MCU’s playground, and his responsibility for Britain and the Omniverse leads to a triumph of different stories that could be told. There is a whole library of British characters yet to be explored in the MCU, and bringing forth the Captain could usher in a new age for the MCU of lesser-known heroes who deserve the Iron Man treatment.

3 The Beyonder

An Omnipotent Being With Infinite Power Who Is Both A Menace And Savior

Created by: Jim Shooter, Mike Zeck
First Appearance: Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1 (January 1984)

With the MCU heading into its potential biggest movie ever with Secret Wars in 2027, fans have already begun to speculate about the plot. However, there is one character not yet confirmed that is essential to the story, and that is the Beyonder. The Beyonder is intensely powerful, and his responsibility in the Secret Wars allows him to experiment and experience the Marvel Universe.

With a character with the utmost responsibility for changing the time and shape of the MCU, it would be great to see Henry Cavill lead the charge, holding that responsibility on his shoulders to usher in a new age for the MCU. It would be poetic if the man to bring forth a new MCU is the man who brought forward DC’s first cinematic universe.

2 Union Jack

A British Hero Who Prefers To Work Alone, But Will Help Others

Created by: Roger Stern, John Byrne
First Appearance: Captain America #253 (October 1980)

Henry Cavill has had his time in the sun as America’s number one hero, Superman, so why not give him a lesser-known hero to mold into an icon, like Britain’s very own Union Jack? Sure, Union Jack isn’t the most well-known hero, but this B-lister certainly has A-lister potential for the roster of Marvel heroes thanks to the star power of Henry Cavill taking charge.

Union Jack is strong, and his defining backstory could provide Cavill with enough draw thanks to the drama associated with his character. It would also be interesting to see Cavill play someone with no powers, almost like a meta-casting of his time as the inverse of Superman, plus, it would be nice to see the Brit play another Brit, especially one with strong ties to Captain America and the defense of Britain.

1 Hyperion

An Eternal From Another World Who Becomes An Avenger

Created by: Roy Thomas, John Buscema
First Appearance: Avengers #85 (February 1971)

Stoic, confident, and oozing with incredible powers, Hyperion has had quite the revamp thanks to Marvel creators Jonathan Hickman and Jerome Opena, and that’s definitely the way that the MCU should go if they introduce this Eternal character. Hyperion is an elite meta-casting for Henry Cavill, as Hyperion is from another reality and has incredible powers like Superman.

Having Cavill hang up the red cape for a yellow one would be great to see, and not only is it an interesting choice, but it’s also one that is deserved. Henry Cavill can easily portray Hyperion, and considering he is from a reality outside of Earth-616, it makes the perfect prelude to the potential of Avengers: Secret Wars.