Director James Gunn has spoken out about letting Henry Cavill leave the DC Universe (DCU) after his deal to take over the studio closed. During a recent appearance on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, Gunn explained that it was already planned for him to helm a new Superman film with a different actor when he signed off from the deal.
Gunn stated that announcing Cavill’s return as Superman without informing him first was “unfair” and created an uncomfortable situation. The director believed that a group of studio executives were trying to impose their own vision on DC, which wasn’t part of his original plan.
When asked about potential casting confusion for Cavill in future roles, Gunn assured that it wouldn’t be an issue, as he had already discussed the possibility with Cavill himself. He expressed his desire to work with Cavill again, describing him as a “great guy” who handled the situation graciously.
The split came after David Corenswet took over the role of Superman for Gunn’s DCU debut feature film, released in July 2023. The movie also featured Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, and other actors in key roles.
Source: https://variety.com/2025/film/news/james-gunn-terrible-henry-cavill-superman-david-corenswet-1236465242