Actor Henry Cavill is best known for his portrayal of Clark Kent / Superman in the DCEU, which started with 2013’s Man of Steel. Despite mixed reviews from critics, the film was a commercial success, leading to the launch of the DCEU, which incorporated other DC Comics characters into a shared universe.
Irrespective of the DCEU’s fate, Cavill’s first foray as Superman remains beloved among fans. Therefore, fans will be interested in learning just how challenging it was for the actor to film Superman’s flying scenes in Man of Steel. Nonetheless, Cavill saw the fun side of things by emulating Mary Poppins in a BTS video that will certainly give Emily Blunt competition.
Henry Cavill Turns Mary Poppins in BTS Footage From Man of Steel
Henry Cavill debuted in the role of Clark Kent / Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel. The film shot Cavill to superstardom and became one of the more beloved on-screen iterations of the iconic comic book character. In BTS footage posted on social media, Cavill can be seen filming his flying scenes, which are a crucial part of the movie.
The BTS footage sees Cavill, covered in harnesses and rigs, which emulate the physics of flight, allowing the actor to maneuver mid-air with precision. However, between takes Cavill can be seen goofing around, using an umbrella while levitating, resembling Mary Poppins. You can check out the full footage here.
The character was played by actress Emily Blunt in 2018’s Mary Poppins Returns and is known for flying with the help of an umbrella. Therefore, the resemblance between Cavill and Poppins is uncanny, the Superman actor might even have given Blunt a run for her money in the role. However, jokes aside, the BTS footage also details the challenges of filming Superman’s iconic flying scenes.
Zack Snyder Explained Henry Cavill’s Intense Man of Steel Flying Scenes
For Man of Steel, director Zack Snyder and the VFX team had to employ a number of modern filmmaking techniques and equipment to execute Superman’s flying scenes. During an interview with Collider, Snyder opened up about the challenges of directing the flight sequences. He said:
It’s a more violent experience. It’s raw. It takes effort to do it, and that’s what we were really going for.
Snyder added that he wanted to depict Superman flying as fast as he could but always having another gear to boost himself. Hence, he wanted to show the character in constant acceleration.
In a separate interview, VFX supervisor John “DJ” Desjardin revealed that Snyder had some test footage for the VFX team, which served as the blueprint for the movie’s flight scenes. The crew also tried to emulate some of Richard Donner’s techniques for Superman’s flying scenes from the 1978 film.
However, Desjardin noted that the use of the Zoptic technique did not blend well with the visual language Snyder wanted for his film. Therefore, the VFX team had to reimagine the flying scenes to better match Snyder’s visions, which definitely sounds like a daunting task. Nonetheless, the end result is arguably one of the best onscreen depictions of Superman’s flight.
Man of Steel is streaming on Max.
