Henry Cavill considered for new Superman movie sequel was seriously explored by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2022, as revealed by two insiders, before plans changed direction and a franchise reboot began under new leadership. Discussions reportedly included Michael Bay as a potential director, highlighting a moment when the studio weighed its options for the future of its most iconic Kryptonian.
Studio Weighed Major Decisions for Superman’s Direction
Pressure was mounting at Warner Bros. as the studio considered how to move forward after the mixed results of the DCEU and the notable commercial disappointment of Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam, which had aimed to put that character at the center of the evolving franchise. Despite initial hopes, Black Adam did not meet expectations, either critically or financially, leading to broader reconsideration about the direction of DC’s superhero universe.
A brief window opened after Black Adam when Henry Cavill made a post-credits appearance as Superman, sparking fan speculation and renewed enthusiasm for his return. Though Cavill also filmed a cameo for The Flash, it was ultimately cut from the final release due to new leadership decisions after David Zaslav appointed James Gunn and Peter Safran to head DC Studios. As a result, the previous plans for a sequel to Man of Steel were set aside, with the DCEU being rebooted as the DC Universe and Cavill departing the role in favor of David Corenswet, who would lead the new chapter.
Insiders Reveal Michael Bay Was Considered as Director
Industry sources told The Wrap that, in 2022 and before the new studio leadership took charge, Warner Bros. Pictures co-chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy seriously explored the idea of a standalone Superman film starring Henry Cavill.
“Before Gunn and Safran’s hiring, Warner Bros. Pictures chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy briefly tried to get a standalone Henry Cavill-led ‘Superman’ film going in 2022, with Michael Bay eyed to possibly direct, according to two insiders.”
—The Wrap via unnamed insiders. This brief effort was part of discussions eager to revitalize the Superman franchise with a fresh cinematic vision.
Michael Bay, renowned for his explosive style in the five live-action Transformers films and hits such as Bad Boys, Armageddon, and Pearl Harbor, was one name considered to bring his signature action to a Man of Steel sequel. However, Bay’s past statements showed some hesitance about joining established superhero franchises, despite studio interest.
Christopher McQuarrie’s Ambitious Ideas for Superman
Director Christopher McQuarrie, best known for his work on Mission: Impossible – Fallout and its sequels, also expressed interest in helming a new Superman project with Henry Cavill, following their successful collaboration. In a recent interview, McQuarrie described the unique opening he envisioned:
“I will tell you, the first 5 minutes of my Superman movie was…you remember Pixar’s Up? [It was] a sequence with no dialogue that covered that character,”
—Christopher McQuarrie, Filmmaker. He continued outlining his ideas for building the emotional foundation of Superman:
“[It] was a set-up, after which you knew exactly what makes Superman tick and exactly what Superman was most afraid of and why Superman made the choices he made,”
—Christopher McQuarrie, Filmmaker. Elaborating further, McQuarrie emphasized his high ambitions for the film’s scope:
“It would have been epic. The scale of the movie would have been absolutely extraordinary.”
—Christopher McQuarrie, Filmmaker. Reflecting on the unmade script, he admitted,
“I’ll never tell. I’ll never tell, but boy was it f***ing good. It was f***ing good.”
—Christopher McQuarrie, Filmmaker.
Michael Bay’s Reluctance Toward Superhero Franchises
Though highly regarded for his visual spectacles, Michael Bay’s own comments have indicated a preference for filmmaking on his own terms rather than joining established superhero properties. In an interview amid Warner Bros.’ interest, Bay remarked,
“It’s not that I’m not interested in Marvel. As Ridley Scott says, the most complicated thing for a director and the most fun thing for a director is to build the world.”
—Michael Bay, Director. He continued,
“I’m not the guy to go into Lucas’ Star Wars and do Star Wars Five. That’s not me. I’m not the one to come into Iron Man Seven. I’m not the one to do Batman 10. I want to do my own thing,”
—Michael Bay, Director. Bay added,
“I would love to do a superhero thing but I want to do it on my own terms and create my own world.”
—Michael Bay, Director.
The Road Not Taken and Franchise Implications
While the studio’s efforts to keep Henry Cavill considered for new Superman movie sequel shows how close Man of Steel 2 came to reality, the direction changed sharply when DC Studios’ leadership replaced previous plans. The possibility of a massively scaled, emotionally charged Superman story under Christopher McQuarrie or a high-octane Michael Bay film intrigued fans, but ultimately, the franchise was rebooted. With David Corenswet now preparing to take flight in James Gunn’s vision, Superman’s next cinematic journey will follow a new path, and speculation continues about what could have been if Cavill and these directors had taken the helm.
