After making a certain cameo in a certain film (spoilers), Henry Cavill is officially back in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) as the one and only Superman, aka Clark Kent or Kal-El! Not counting “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”, it’s been over half a decade since we’ve seen Cavill’s face as the Man of Steel himself. Technically, the character Superman has made appearances in other films and shows after 2017’s theatrical release of “Justice League” but let’s be honest here, there were most voiceless cameos with his face obscured. For all we knew, it could have been a completely different, recast version of Superman appearing at the end of 2019’s “Shazam!” and 2021’s “Peacemaker”. With Cavill safely back in the role though, fans can rest easy knowing it’s Cavill’s beautiful mug behind the suit.
There’s also been some exciting news lately that early development for a sequel to 2013’s “Man of Steel” has begun! That’s right, we’re getting a proper Superman-centred film once more. While the details of the film have yet to be fully revealed, there has been a clear direction that the franchise has been heading for the last few years. We’re here to break down what fans can expect for the upcoming sequel that we’ll refer to for now as “Man of Steel 2”.
A More Traditional Superman
Whether you’re a fan of Joss Whedon’s “Justice League” or not, you have to admit that the film did set the tone for the franchise going forward. Gone are the days of Snyder’s dark melodrama and gritty action. Instead, the DCEU has taken on a lighter, more self-aware tone with a smidgen of stylish ultra-violence thrown in for some fun. So if you’re expecting to see a tortured, forlorn Kryptonian struggling with the weight of his god-like powers, that age is over. The properties in which Superman has appeared for the last few years have painted the Man of Steel as more of a beloved public figure than a polarised messiah.
He’s the kind of person who would sit next to a bullied, unpopular kid in school as a favour to his super-friend, Shazam. He’s more than happy to still work within a team with him appearing alongside Wonder Woman, the Flash and Aquaman in the season finale of “Peacemaker” to stop an alien threat. Not to mention that his most recent appearance in “Black Adam” has him wearing a brighter suit with a heroic theme that sounds like an amalgamation between John Williams and Hans Zimmer’s theme for the character. With the way his character has been moving forward in the DCEU, it’s safe to say that the Superman we’ll be seeing in “Man of Steel 2” probably has the support of the superhero community, a majority of Metropolis’ citizens and most of the world. Not unlike his comic-book counterpart.
A Sequel and a Soft Reboot
For some of you not in the business know, WarnersMedia recently had a merger with Discovery, Inc. in April this year to form the conglomerate company Warner Bros. Discovery. It’s been reported by Variety, that the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Zaslav, has expressed his desire to return central DC heroes like Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman to the forefront of the franchise. According to Zaslav, they’ll be playing key roles in a “10-year plan focusing just on DC”, something akin to Kevin Feige’s approach with Disney’s Marvel. It’s clear that Zaslav wants a tighter DCEU with a clearer vision for the future, moving away from the direction of Zack Snyder’s layout for the DCEU. So what does this mean?
Well, it probably means that “Man of Steel 2” will not just serve as a sequel to the 2013 film but also as a sort of soft reboot for the character. One to match his updated suit and shinier disposition. With Zaslav now taking the helm of Warner Bros. Discovery, therefore Warner Bros. Pictures as well, he’ll most likely not want to be chained to the legacy of the DCEU’s past but rather to move forward with a clean slate while acknowledging some of the better aspects of the previous films.
The same way James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad” kept characters like Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn from David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad” and pretty much pretended like the 2016 film never happened. With that in mind, don’t expect “Man of Steel 2” to reference previous events of the first film or characters like Zod, Lex Luthor or Doomsday, at least their previous versions.
The Production Details
According to The Hollywood Reporter, producer Charles Roven has been confirmed to be involved in the production of “Man of Steel 2”. The man’s production track record includes Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Trilogy”, Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman” and Snyder’s “Man of Steel”. Right now, Roven and company are still looking for writers and a director for the film.
On the top of their list of sought-after creatives is Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote and directed “Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation”, “Mission Impossible: Fallout” and is in charge of both “Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning- Part 1” and “Part 2”. Director James Gunn was offered the chance to direct a Superman film but turned it down for “The Suicide Squad” instead. Oh, and in case any of you were wondering, J.J. Abrams is still making a Superman film with Ta-Nehisi Coates but it’s unrelated to Henry Cavill’s version, theirs will be played by a black man.
Here’s the juicy bit about McQuarrie though, the “Mission Impossible” director and Henry Cavill apparently pitched an idea for a “Man of Steel” idea in 2019. Unfortunately, they were turned down by the studios. In regards to a potential Superman film in the future, McQuarrie tweeted in 2019 stating that they “never cared for my original ideas” and that “I asked once. I will never ask again.” That being said, that was the old Warner Bros. but now with Zaslav looking to refocus on Superman, and McQuarrie’s talents being sought after, it’s possible that he could join in for “Man of Steel 2”. Especially since Cavill’s on board as well.
As for what the original pitch was, McQuarrie has not revealed any details at all, only that he had a “really awesome version of Superman” that he and Cavill were both excited about. We’re dying to know what the two were cooking up in the background and we certainly hope McQuarrie and Cavill will link up to make it a reality!
