Zack Snyder celebrated Henry Cavill’s birthday by revealing the photo that landed him the role of Superman in Man of Steel. While he had previously appeared in such films as Stardust and Immortals, as well as the TV series The Tudors, Cavill’s true breakthrough role came in 2013 when Snyder cast him as Clark Kent/Superman. A big screen reboot of the DC superhero franchise, after director Bryan Singer’s attempt to bring the character back to the masses with 2006’s Superman Returns, failed to gain the momentum the studio was hoping for.
Man of Steel, of course, had a lot to live up to because of Richard Donner’s 1978 classic version of Superman, which made Christopher Reeve a cinematic and cultural icon. Finding the right actor to embody the character after Reeve’s legendary performance wasn’t easy, to say the least, so in apparent move to convince Warner Bros. that he found his man, Snyder staged a photo of his new choice for Superman by paying homage to the classic Superman film as well as the actor that brought him to life on the big screen.
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On Vero, Zack Snyder shared a new photo that he says ultimately landed Henry Cavill the coveted gig as Superman. A shot of Cavill looking off into the distance, the photo’s weight comes with the realization that the actor is wearing Christopher Reeve’s Superman costume that Snyder retrieved from the Warner Bros. Archives. In the photo’s caption, Snyder explained how Cavill honored the character’s legacy, followed by the words, “Happy birthday my brother.” Take a look:
While the unofficially titled DC Extended Universe has suffered its share of bumps over the past few years with uneven critical and fan reception to both Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, there’s little arguing that Snyder made a brilliant choice with Cavill for Superman’s return to the big screen. After all, the director’s vision and Cavill’s portrayal made an undeniably strong impression, and the film’s success ultimately paved the way for the formation of the DCEU.
In the wake of the underwhelming reception of Justice League, it’s hard to say where the DCEU will go after James Wan’s Aquaman and Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 2, but with any luck, Cavill will get an opportunity to don Superman’s costume once more with a potential Man of Steel sequel. Cavill is definitely up for Man of Steel 2, and the project seems to be gaining momentum with Cavill teasing his return as Superman in the near future. With the sequel closer than ever to becoming a reality, hopefully, Cavill will get the opportunity to truly make his mark on Superman and leave a lasting impression for future DC fans.
More: What Will Henry Cavill’s Last DCEU Superman Film Be?
Source: Zack Snyder
- Aquaman (2018)Release date: Dec 21, 2018
- Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)Release date: Dec 25, 2020
- Shazam! (2019)Release date: Apr 05, 2019
