The character of Superman has been played by multiple actors across generations. The iconic DC superhero was first seen from comic book to screen way back in 1948 when Kirk Alyn essayed the role for a Superman movie serial. Over the years, many different actors were cast for the role of the Man of Steel. The character gained cult status in 1978 when Christopher Reeve took on the mantle of Superman. With 3 more sequels that followed, Reeve cemented his place as the last son of Krypton.
While many stars followed suit with their unique takes on Superman, British actor Henry Cavill was instrumental in rediscovering the superhero’s essence in Zack Synder’s 2013 film Man of Steel. The star then appeared prominently in DCU films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League. While some of these films did not find favor among fans, Cavill confessed that it was Zack Snyder who truly understood the character of Superman.
Henry Cavill puts Man of Steel Above Christopher Reeve’s Superman
Superman actor Henry Cavill has been widely regarded as one of the best to play the role of the DC superhero. The star praised Zack Snyder’s vision for the character while bravely comparing his film Man of Steel to that of his illustrious predecessor, Christopher Reeve. According to Cavill, while Reeve’s Superman symbolized a straightforward and optimistic world that was easier to accept, Zack Snyder’s version delved below the comfort zone to bring out the character’s deeper thoughts in a darker world. Describing Superman’s dilemma, Cavill said,
“How the character felt about the world around him, knowing that he was different from a very young age, was interesting to me, because people aren’t necessarily very good to him in this film”.
The Witcher star further added that these realistic aspects that Zack Snyder incorporated into the storyline were instrumental in making Superman more accessible to the public.
“Snyder Cut Revealed the True Superman”, says Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill’s Superman experienced many changes from Man of Steel to Justice League. While some of these changes were intentionally written into the character arc, a few other developments were a result of problems that occurred behind the scenes. The highly anticipated Justice League faced many obstacles with Joss Whedon taking over midway from Zack Snyder due to unavoidable personal reasons. The film, which was marred by problems on and off screen, failed at the box office, prompting Snyder to revisit and remodel his original vision with Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
This version went on to become a huge fan favorite. Henry Cavill, who reprised his role as Superman heaped praise on the film, the director, and the evolution of the character, stating,
“In my opinion, this is the first time we see Superman in truth. We have seen the origin story of Superman. We have seen the downfall and doubt of Superman. And finally, with his rebirth, we see the true Superman. The Superman who is confident and sure, and full of hope and joy,”
Cavill added that this version of Superman that Zack Snyder created was also closest to how the character featured in the source material. Having said that, the star also expressed his desire to develop Superman even further by using comic books as a reference.
Source: Cheatsheet
