Reports have been circulating lately that Henry Cavill and Warner Bros. were not getting along and while most of us thought that it was just stiff contract negotiations, I don’t think any of us were expecting Cavill to quit playing the role of Superman. The role of Superman is something that is coveted by actors and has been made famous by television and movie actors alike. Some of those names include Kirk Alyn, George Reeves, Christopher Reeve, Dean Cain, Tom Welling, Brandon Routh, Tyler Hoechlin, and of course most recently Henry Cavill. So what would cause someone to leave such an iconic role and essentially leave the World of DC scrambling?

The first and probably most likely reason is contract negotiations. Henry Cavill has so far been in three of the four most recent World of DC movies including 2013’s Man of Steel, 2016’s Batman v. Superman, and 2017’s Justice League. The only World of DC movie he has not been in so far was Suicide Squad. Cavill’s most recent role in Mission Impossible: Fallout brought he a lot of attention most recently, and not because of the infamous mustache he rocked in the movie. He has been an up and coming name and has been growing in popularity among movie fans. The Hollywood Reporter has most recently been reporting that a cameo in next years Shazam! movie starring Zachary Levi might be the one of things that is breaking down the relationship between Warner Bros. and Cavill. Apparently a scheduling conflict is to blame for the actor not being able to make the cameo in the movie, which is not sitting well with Warner Bros.

With all the struggles that the World of DC has been going through, his portrayal of Superman has been one of the bright spots through out the movies. Many fans have enjoyed Cavill very much in the role. One other interesting thing to come from this is that reportedly Warner Bros. is pushing the idea of starting a Supergirl franchise. Apparently the studio wants to establish her as a movie character starting with her own movie. The studio is reportedly shifting their focus more towards the character telling an origin story of the teenage super-heroine. This would result in an age conflict being that Supergirl traditionally is older than Superman in the comic books. This may be the answer to whether or not the recast the role of Superman or just leave him and go with Supergirl.

Another thing that might be ruining the relationship is the fact that there are no immediate plans to have Cavill star in a solo Superman movie or a sequel to Man of Steel. Fans have been asking, waiting, and wanting a Man of Steel sequel but it has gotten us nowhere. While it hasn’t been completely written off, it is at least years away. A statement from Warner Bros. gives a little bit of info on the matter, stating:

“While no decisions have been made regarding any upcoming Superman films, we’ve always had great respect for and a great relationship with Henry Cavill, and that remains unchanged.”

This was stated after word got out that their was conflict between Cavill and reports that their was no plans for a Superman movie anytime soon. Something else interesting that may have definitely drove a wedge in the relationship was the fact that Cavill has signed on to star in Netflix’s upcoming series adaption of the highly popular video game and book series The Witcher. Although it was reported that this wasn’t the straw that broke the camels back, it did further push any plans of a Superman movie back even further on the timeline.

There isn’t any plans to wipe the slate clean and start over with Cavill’s departure, it is a huge blow to the World of DC. While it hasn’t been confirmed, its been rumored for quite a while that Ben Affleck would not be reprising his role as Batman, so for them to lose not only the universes Batman as well as their Superman, it is a huge blow to the franchise. We already know that Gal Gadot isn’t leaving her role as Wonder Woman anytime soon due to her popularity and the sequel Wonder Woman 1984 which is set to hit theaters next year. Ezra Miller is reportedly still on board to play Barry Allen/ The Flash and plans are still in effect for him to have his own solo movie. Jason Momoa has Aquaman coming out December 14th so barring a bomb he should still be attached to the role.

Regardless of what the actual reason is for Henry Cavill’s departure from the role of Superman, it is a blow to the franchise and fans alike. Man of Steel is arguably one of the more underrated superhero movies that have come out in the last 10 years especially from the likes of Warner Bros. Studios. It is a shame that it had to get to this level and cause another blow to the World of DC and to fans. Hopefully something will change and Cavill and Warner Bros. can work something out. But at the rate that things are going for the World of DC and Warner Bros., I wouldn’t hold your breathe.

So what do you think? Are you shocked, saddened, upset or maybe even happy about Cavill’s departure from the role of Superman and the World of DC? Let us know what you think and your thoughts in the comments below!