Man of Steel 2
Summary
Henry Cavill ’s Superman continuation , Man of Steel 2 , was tragically canceled in the month surround the reveal of James Gunn’sDCU . Cavill ’s picture of Superman has been largely exalt ever since he debut in 2013’sMan of Steel , after which he reprize his role inBatman v loony toons : Dawn of Justice , Justice League , Zack Snyder ’s Justice League , and most recently , Black Adam . For his part , Cavill was also a fan of the role , with his departure being one of the more controversialconsequences of the DCU ’s existence .
It was n’t , of course , always supposed to be this way . valet de chambre of Steelremains one ofthe DCEU ’s most successful movies , which practically call for a solo sequel for the titular hero . alternatively , the inauspicious - fatedBatman v Superman : Dawn of Justicesaw him share the screen with the Caped Crusader , with middling to poor reviews spelling the beginning ofthe last of the DCEUas it became an early representative of the DCEU ’s misdirection of these beloved IPs . Still , Man of Steel 2was be after right up until the DCEU ’s death knell .
Henry Cavill ’s Superman Appearance
Year
Man of Steel
2013
Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice
2016
Justice League
2017
Zack Snyder ’s Justice League
2021
Black Adam ( cameo )
2022
Here ’s every new DC movie confirmed as in development by WB for 2024 and onwards , admit release dates and where they belong in the enfranchisement .
Man Of Steel 2’s History Explained
Man of Steel 2entered the planning stage around 2016 , where it persist for several years espouse the release ofBatman v Superman : Dawn of Justicein which Superman notably " snuff it . “Justice League , which resurrected Superman , was then released in 2017 , facilitating Cavill ’s return in a 2d solo flick . He would not recapitulate his role in person , however , until2022’sBlack Adam(not countingZack Snyder ’s Justice League).It was after this that Cavill confirmed that he would be returning to the DCEU via social media , which was companion by an simulacrum of him in his iconic lawsuit .
It was around that time thatMan of Steel 2began development in earnest , withPeaky Blinderscreator , Steven Knight , reportedly in charge of the story . Had it travel onward , the pic would have been released over a decade after Superman ’s first solo outing in 2013 , sparking speculation over how the dealership would handle such a gap . This head some to believe it would comprise a soft reboot in a similar nervure to Gunn ’s acclaimedThe Suicide Squad , which would entail recasting sealed actors like Amy Adams as Lois Lane .
What Was Revealed About Man of Steel 2’s Plot
Insiders revealed toThe Hollywood ReporterthatMan of Steel 2would bring theiconic Superman villain , Brainiac , into the fold in his live - natural process cinematic debut . While Brainiac has made show in thelive - natural action Superman showsSmallvilleandKrypton , he would have been the perfect villain for DC to work into the cinematic franchise , had the picture move ahead . The classic DC villain is off - the - wall enough to make up part of a in particular compelling story , and sure enough one that would at least fit into the brand - new DCU tale .
Further detail are scarce . Brainiac is bonk for attempting to collect all the noesis in the known existence , fly a skull - form spaceship , and shrinking cities to sizes that he can check into feeding bottle . It is the latter titbit that put him in direct opposition with Superman , as he shrunk Krypton ’s capital city , Kandor , before seek to do the same to Earth ’s cities . plain , this would have help to flesh out Cavill ’s Superman as more of his Kryptonian heritage is dragged up and his protectiveness of Earth develops . Unfortunately , however , Knight ’s pitch was reportedly rejected .
Why Man of Steel 2 Was Canceled
It did n’t take long before Cavill ’s confirmation of a grand return was contradicted by James Gunn in late 2022 , as the newly - instated co - CEO of DC Studios give away that Superman would be reboot . Cavill would later on alas confirm this , with the amicable illumination that James Gunn and Peter Safran " have a universe to work up " in which a youthful Superman would appear in the early microscope stage of his superhero calling . Almost as soon as Gunn assumed the role in November 2022,Man of Steel 2was scrapped .
Given the decade - spanning gulf between Cavill ’s solo expedition , this was n’t too surprising . Upon Gunn ’s supposal of the co - CEO role and his announcement of the DCU , speculation had already begun swirling around Cavill ’s continued involvement before ratification that a raw worker would take on the role in a straight reboot of the franchise instead ofMan of Steel 2 . Based on Gunn ’s purported inspiration for the new movie , Superman : Legacy , it seems the DCU will instead search a brighter take on the Man of Steel in a departure from Cavill ’s darker rendition . Hopefully , it will forget Cavill ’s legacy integral .
