As one of the most popular fictional characters of all time, Superman is also one of the most adapted characters to the big screen. Plenty of actors assumed the mantle of Man of Steel, most recently, Henry Cavill in the ill-fated DCEU and Tyler Hoechlin in CW’s ‘Superman and Lois.’

DCEU was a bust so Cavill lost his role when Gunn and Safran rebooted the cinematic universe. Hoechlin’s tenure is also slowly coming to an end since the currently airing ‘Superman and Lois’ season 4 is set to be the show’s last – according to some reports also thanks to Gunn’s involvement.

Considering DCEU’s budget and the ‘Man of Steel’ blockbuster status, it’s expected that Cavill’s earnings would be significantly higher than Hoechlin’s, but surprisingly this is not the case.

When he starred in ‘Man of Steel’ in 2013, Cavill earned about $300,000. This was a typical starting salary for a new superhero lead. Over the years, his salary grew as he became more famous with other roles, like in ‘The Witcher,’ where he reportedly made $400,000 per episode in the first season and $1 million per episode in the second season. For his cameo in ‘Black Adam,’ he received $250,000.

This is nothing weird considering that actors re-negotiate roles often. Hoechlin on the other hand earned between $100,000 and $200,000 per episode. This could lead to millions of dollars each season since the show typically has about 15 episodes.

You also need to take into account that TV shows often pay actors per episode, which can add up to a lot over a season. When Cavill first played Superman, he was not yet a big star, so he got a lower salary. Hoechlin, on the other hand, got more recognition from playing Superman in a popular TV show.

If the DCEU continued, we have no doubt that Cavill would be pulling some big money. Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!