Henry Cavill has a slew of successful projects under his belt, whether it be his stint as Superman or The Witcher’s Geralt of Rivia. But in 2015, Cavill took on the role of Napoleon Solo in The Man from U.N.C.L.E., embracing the character’s suave and sophisticated demeanor without any concern for stereotypes.
Joining him in the project was Armie Hammer, who played the role of Illya Kuryakin. The chemistry between the duo created an unforgettable bromance that became one of the film’s standout features. Although the movie initially struggled at the box office, it later found renewed success as a streaming hit.
Henry Cavill’s $110M Flop Found New Success in the Streaming World
Guy Ritchie has delivered some remarkable work in Hollywood, but one of his most standout decisions was casting Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. The premise of the movie revolves around the unexpected alliance between the two agents, Solo and Kuryakin.
The duo belonged to opposing sides of the Cold War, but despite their different backgrounds and distrust, they were forced to collaborate under the umbrella of the U.N.C.L.E. Their main mission was to thwart a suspicious criminal organization that was on the brink of unleashing nuclear weapons, threatening global security.
The story, however, goes beyond a straightforward spy thriller narrative, as the makers wanted to establish a deeper connection between the leads and decided to “gay it up.” But this wasn’t much of a big deal for Cavill, who added (via The Guardia):
It isn’t like we said, ‘Let’s gay it up a bit.’ But two male leads, a buddy movie – it’s going to happen. If it plays that way, I think it’s because Armie, Guy and myself are comfortable with our sexuality, so we’re not fearful of coming across as homosexual.
A lot of straight guys would be like, ‘Oh, that’s a bit gay, I’m not doing that.’ But I’ll happily stand with my arm around my best mate in a pub. Not a problem.
While the premise of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. was intriguing, the movie struggled at the box office, earning only around $110 million worldwide. However, like many films that initially underperformed, it found a second chance at success on Netflix.
After being added to the platform on July 27, the movie recently climbed into Netflix’s top 10 (via Movie Web), underscoring its growing popularity and the power of streaming to revive overlooked films.
The Story Behind Henry Cavill’s Cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine
Henry Cavill’s cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine was a surprising event for fans. In a candid chat with Collider, Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy pulled back the curtains on how the Man of Steel actor’s casting came about.
Reynolds reflected on the difficulty of imagining anyone besides Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Further, noting how Cavill’s involvement was both a bold as well as a creative choice. He added:
It was the first day of shooting and it was born of the reality which is who on earth do you cast? I can’t think of a more impossible and frustrating role to recast than Wolverine. I don’t know.
As an actor, it would be awful and intimidating, and you’d need to take it in a different way. But if you had to do it, and replace the guy who’s made it canon in every way, shape, and form on-screen and off wasn’t available, Henry Cavill would be pretty good!
Shawn Levy also chimed in and detailed how the idea of Cavill’s cameo materialized effortlessly. He further explained that the Deadpool actor proposed the idea and named it on the spot, shortly after the DC Universe shake-up involving Superman.
It was a rapid sequence of events, starting from the initial spark of an idea to sending a text and getting a response—all wrapped up in 15 minutes.
You can stream The Man From U.N.C.L.E. on Netflix and watch Deadpool & Wolverine in theatres near you.
