Though Henry Cavill was expected to reprise his role as Superman in the DC Studios film series, the actor revealed earlier this week that he won’t be returning as the beloved superhero.
Releasing a statement, the 39-year-old shared with fans that he learned the “sad news” following a meeting with James Gunn and Peter Safran, who both serve as CEOs at DC Studios.
“I will, after all, not be returning as Superman,” Cavill penned. “After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life. The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that.”
Wishing Gunn and Safran luck, the actor graciously continued, “My turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will. It’s been a fun ride with you all, onwards and upwards.”
Read more: “Black Panther” Comics Author Ta-Nehisi Coates To Write “Superman” Reboot Script
Cavill originally starred as Clark Kent in 2013’s Man of Steel, and later acted as Superman in a number of other films, including Justice League and Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
In a series of tweets posted Wednesday, Gunn spoke out about the current Superman revamp, saying that he and Safran have a “DC slate ready to go.”
Implying that they want to go with a younger actor, he then shared, “Among those on the slate is Superman. In the initial stages, our story will be focusing on an earlier part of Superman's life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill.”
In another tweet, Gunn said about their future relationship with Cavill, “But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we’re big fans and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future.”
The news comes on the heels of Cavill’s exit from “The Witcher,” a popular Netflix fantasy series. The Jersey native portrayed Geralt, a monster hunter, on the series for three seasons. A fourth season of the show is currently in progress.
With Liam Hemsworth now replacing his character, many assumed that Cavill left the show to focus on and dedicate more time to his future Superman role.
However, Deadline reported that sources blamed his departure from “The Witcher” on a “short-term deal” he had with the show.
[Via]