Henry Cavill Ditching Superman for ‘The Witcher’ Series Is Super Good

By Meghan O'Keefe @megsokay
Published Sep. 12, 2018, 11:12 a.m. ET

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Henry Cavill will no longer be Superman. The Hollywood Reporter reported this morning talks between Cavill’s reps and Warner Bros. have broken down in recent weeks, and that Cavill likely won’t appear as Superman in a film again. Warner Bros. claims that they have no immediate plans for another standalone Superman film — as they are shifting focus to a Supergirl movie that would only feature a baby version of Kal-El — and that Cavill’s people were unable to commit the actor to a cameo in next year’s Shazam! Cavill recently — very excitedly — announced that he would be starring in Netflix’s upcoming series The Witcher. 

The Hollywood Reporter’s article argues that this is a decision designed to help Warner Bros. “reset” their DC universe, but honestly, it’s better news for Cavill than it is for Warner Bros. Superman cast a shadow on Henry Cavill’s career, and now he can escape it.

The narrative about Henry Cavill’s career is usually framed around how Superman made him a star, but it also has held him back in some respects. Cavill had been working in films and television for a good 10 years before Man of Steel transformed him into a internationally recognized superhero. Before that, he had shown that he could be sweet romantic soft boy (I Capture The Castle), a diabolical charmer (The Tudors), and a strong, sexy beefcake hero (The Immortals). Cavill has been able to show hints of his range in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and Mission Impossible: Fallout, but the DC films have tampered his quirky charm down in favor of strong-armed stoicism. So for the past five years, Cavill has been sold to people as a statue made flesh. His Superman is technically perfect — and that’s kind of the problem. The part has towered over the actor, and left Cavill little air to be himself for audiences.

Netflix’s The Witcher could change that. As a high-octane fantasy series, it fits square in Cavill’s wheelhouse as a both a seasoned action hero and secret nerd boy. Even if you didn’t know that Cavill is a major Robert Jordan/Temeraire/Skyrim fan, his untethered exuberance announcing that he would be Geralt of Rivia should have tipped you off that he’s a fan of high fantasy.

Again, The Witcher is a REALLY GOOD move for Cavill. It’s the kind of thing that caters to his pre-existing fan base and it will let him let loose. No actor can outshine the mythos of Superman. It’s not only a larger-than-life character, but there’s a long list of actors who have already defined the part for previous generations. Cavill gets to be the first Geralt of Rivia. The part won’t outshine him, but instead, he has already brought Hollywood-sized hype to the role. But more than that, Cavill deserves a chance to really enjoy himself in a project. Forget the tights and the cape — Henry Cavill needs to be allowed to let his true inner dork flag fly.

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