There’s a moment in the third act of Quentin Tarantino’sKill Bill Vol. 2where David Carradine’s “Bill” recites an eloquent speech about his love for the hero known asSuperman. “The mythology” is why Bill loves the character so much. It’s no wonder, then, why the superhero character — who indeed represents so much on a thematic level — is continuously brought back to life on the big screen.Supermandates back to the 1930s, when DC’s acclaimed superhero first appeared in a comic book and has since been adapted to a number of other media, including radio serials, novels, TV shows, video games and — perhaps most importantly — film.
For those not familiar with thesuperhero’s backstory, Supermanwas born on the fictional planet Krypton and was named Kal-El. As a baby, his parents sent him to Earth in a small spaceship, which landed near the fictional town of Smallville. He was found and adopted by farmers Jonathan and Martha Kent, who named him Clark Kent. Clark developed various superhuman abilities, and the rest is history. Fan-favorite supporting characters include Lois Lane, Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen, and editor-in-chief Perry White. Household names of his various enemies include Brainiac, Darkseid, General Zod and, of course, Lex Luthor.
As we await which actor will take over the “man of steel” role for James Gunn’s recently announced takeover of theDCU, we took a deep dive intoHenry Cavill’s time as Superman. In terms of ranking which actor has done it best, it’s a tight race between Cavill and at least one other memorable name. Here’s a closer look.
History of Henry Cavill’s Superman
In 2013,Man of Steelwas released by Warner Bros. as a reboot of the film series, starring Cavill as Superman. A sequel,Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,featured Superman alongside Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot). Cavill then reprised his role inJustice Leagueand Zack Snyder’s acclaimed 2021 director’s cut. Superman also briefly appeared at the end ofShazam!, but was portrayed by stuntman Ryan Handley in this instance. Nonetheless,Cavill makes an uncredited cameoappearance in the mid-credits scene of Dwayne Johnson’s recent DCU installment,Black Adam(2022).
Despite announcing via social media in October that he’ll again return to the character (viaVariety), Cavill is now reportedly not joining any future DCU projects as Superman. Fans are outraged, which brings us to the ultimate question: Was Cavill the best “man of steel” to date?
Related:Superman: 6 Actors Almost Chosen to Play the Role
Fan-Favorite Actors Who Played Superman
The first big-budget movie wasSupermanin 1978, starring Christopher Reeve. It’s the most successfulSupermanfeature film to date in terms of box office revenue — adjusted for inflation, of course. After all, the soundtrack was composed by John Williams, and the title theme has become iconic. As Hollywood’s first big-budget superhero movie, it’s no wonder that success of Richard Donner’s late-70s masterpiece paved the way for later superhero movies that we still enjoy today.
In the titular role, Reeve’s presence in the costume became a memorable image across the world, even to this day. Every other Superman actor is perpetually compared to the late Reeve. His Superman exudes strength and confidence, but it’s his turn as Clark Kent that distinguishes Reeve from other portrayals. Reeve nails the alter ego to the point where it’s actually believable that the general public can’t necessarily connect the dots.
In 2006,Superman Returnswas released, with Brandon Routh taking over and later reprising his role in the Arrowverse crossoverCrisis on Infinite Earths. The fact that it was only seven years later that Zack Snyder’s reboot was announced is evidence enough that Routh may not have been the fan-favorite portrayal after all. Bryan Singer’s film received mixed reviews, and Routh was evidently no match for Reeve’s turn across his four films.
If folks want to argue that Cavill takes the cake as “the best Superman,” the fact that his more recent films are still fresh in everyone’s minds certainly works to the actor’s advantage. And who doesn’t love Snyder, a skilled filmmaker who brought a fresh, darker tone to the franchise that cinephiles might prefer over Marvel’s more positive vibe across its MCU films? But a main drawback for Cavill is that his take on Superman is much more subdued, arguable showing off less acting range than Reeve displayed. Plus, it was indeed the 1978 film started it all, with help from Oscar-winning co-stars Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando, so it’s hard not to imagine Reeve in the red cape when we picture Superman in general.
Related:DCU: Henry Cavill’s Best Moments as Superman, Ranked
Future of the Superman Franchise
As previously mentioned, Gunn and Peter Safran have confirmed that theBlack Adamcameo is all she wrote for Cavill, who is not returning as Superman. Back in October, before Gunn and Safran had been hired to steer the ship at DC Studios, Cavill excitedly announced to his fans that he was returning as Superman, hopeful to appear in more projects. He later posted a statement to his Instagram account expressing his sadness over the more recent news, though he still seems to feel grateful for the “fun ride” he’s had with the character. And fans were quick to express their disappointment of the Cavill news (viaNME). Given the power of social media in modern society, perhaps it’s not such a lost cause that Cavill might sport the cape again one day.
