Audiences just witnessed the emergence of a new big-screen Superman via the release of James Gunn’s movie of the same name. However, a few years ago, there was a point at which it seemed that Henry Cavill would return to play the Man of Steel. That was due to Cavill reprising the role for a cameo in The Rock’s Black Adam. Gunn recently reflected on the situation, recalling his confusion over the turn of events. The filmmaker didn’t specifically call out Rock, but it is known that the wrestler/actor was a driving force behind that cameo.
James Gunn Talks About The Situation Involving Henry Cavill’s Return For Black Adam
The timeline of events that play into this Superman/Black Adam situation seems quite complex. James Gunn managed to provide further clarity, though, while promoting his 2025 movie release. During Gunn’s appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he recalled being brought on to direct a new take on Supes for Warner Bros. and how he was later tapped to become co-head of DC Studios. Gunn eventually discussed how taken aback he was when Henry Cavill’s supposed return was announced, given his own film:
So we were dealing with trying to figure out if [producer Peter Safran and I] could take the job at DC Studios, and we’re talking to David Zaslav and all the legal people there and figuring out what our deals would be. The day our deal closed, all of a sudden, they were announcing that Henry was back, and I’m like, ‘What is going on? We know what the plan is. The plan was to come in and do Superman.’ So it was really unfair to [Cavill] , it was a total bummer. But it was a vacuum at the time, and a lot of people were… [I’m] trying to be as diplomatic as possible… [Other people] had a take on what they wanted to do at DC and were trying to force their way in.
As the Guardians of the Galaxy helmer went on to say, that wasn’t the plan for Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav. So, ultimately, both James Gunn and Peter Safran (the co-head of DC Studios) had to sit down with Henry Cavill and explain the situation. While Gunn didn’t mention Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson during his interview (which is on YouTube), previously shared behind-the-scenes tidbits lay out how Johnson and the Black Adam team worked to get Cavill back.
How Was The Rock Involved In Superman’s Return To The DCEU?
The Last Son of Krypton’s return in the Black Adam mid-credits scene generated plenty of hype amongst fans in 2022, though it also generated a number of questions. THR shed some light on the matter and, apparently, The Rock and director Jaume Collet-Serra felt compelled to add Kal-El to the film after a test-screening a scene that revealed Supes only by way of a silhouette and his iconic emblem. From there, Collet-Serra and Rock felt even more compelled to get the Man from U.N.C.L.E. star back in his superhero role.
From there, Dwayne Johnson reportedly lobbied hard to get Henry Cavill back into the fold. Johnson and Cavill, coincidentally, also shared a manager, who joined Johnson in pushing for Cavill’s return. Although then-DC Films head Walter Hamada didn’t like the idea (due to having other Superman-related plans), Johnson went over the exec’s head by going to Warner Bros.’ film heads, Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy. Ultimately, Abdy and De Luca approved Johnson’s request.
The rest, as they say, is movie history. After the cameo was revealed, The Rock reacted to Supes’ return, even admitting that he and his team “fought for years” to bring the character back. The A-lister was also incredibly bullish about having Black Adam and Superman fight each other in a film at some point. By early 2023, after James Gunn and co. officially took the reins at DC Studios, the Jungle Cruise actor addressed the Supes fiasco while at the Oscars. He stated that with the situation, all he and his collaborators could do was make the best movie possible.
It goes without saying that a lot has certainly changed, as the DCU continuity is now in full swing, with James Gunn and Peter Safran at the helm. Considering the cameo situation and creative overhaul, Gunn admitted to Happy Sad Confused’s Josh Horowitz that it was “terrible” having break the news to Henry Cavill. Nevertheless, he’s still open to casting Cavill in a new role. Time will tell if that happens but, for now, stream Cavill’s film appearances as Superman using an HBO Max subscription.
