Henry Cavill on Returning to Superman Role: ‘There Is Still a Lot of Storytelling for Me to Do’

Henry Cavill just might suit up as Superman once more.

The actor, 38, who covers the latest issue of The Hollywood Reporter, told the outlet that after playing Clark Kent in three films, he still sees a future for himself in the DC franchise.

“There is still a lot of storytelling for me to do as a Superman, and I would absolutely love the opportunity,” he told THR.

Cavill first portrayed Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, and went on to star in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and 2017’s Justice League. Speaking of Man of Steel — in which his character shockingly kills General Zod — Cavill said, “The killing of Zod gave a reason for the character never to kill again,” noting that Zod’s death opens up an opportunity to expand Superman’s story.

Henry Cavill The Hollywood Reporter

PHOTOGRAPHED BY DANNY KASIRYE

He explained to THR, “Superman falling to the ground and screaming afterward — I don’t think that was originally in the script, but I wanted to show the pain he had. I did far more emotional takes they didn’t choose; tears were happening.”

“He just killed the last remaining member of his species,” Cavill continued. “That’s the choice he made in that moment, and he’ll never do that again. There’s an opportunity for growth after that, to explore the psyche of Superman as a deep, seemingly invulnerable god-like being but with real feeling on the inside. As I always say, ‘The cape is still in the closet.’ “

DC announced future plans for the character in May, revealing a Black Superman film in the works. Cavill said the project is “exciting,” explaining, “Superman’s far more than skin color.”

henry-cavill.jpg

Henry Cavill as Superman. EVERETT

To him, “Superman is an ideal. Superman’s an extraordinary thing that lives within our hearts,” Cavill told THR. He also suggested there’s room in the franchise for multiple iterations of the character.

“Why not have multiple Supermen going on?,” he asked. “Joaquin Phoenix did a wonderful Joker movie; so what if it’s not tied to the rest of [the franchise]? They have multiple Superman comic book storylines happening at the same time.”

While his future as Superman remains undetermined, Cavill has plenty of projects in the works, including his massively popular Netflix fantasy series, The Witcher. Sources told THR Cavill signed a Season 2 deal paying him over $1 million per episode. Next up, he’s set to star in action film Argylle, the sequel to Enola Holmes and romance movie The Rosie Project.

“Something has changed, something has shifted,” Cavill told THR of his packed work schedule. “After 21 years of hard work, I have three jobs lined up.”

“Maybe it’s me, maybe it’s my approach, maybe my value as a commodity increases being attached to things like The Witcher,” he added. “Now I can really focus on the storytelling and grow from here.”