Director Zack Snyder’s 2013 movie Man of Steel was a completely different approach to the superhero. Every Superman iteration has its own pros and cons and it’s hard to conclude which one of them is the best. Snyder’s Superman, portrayed by actor Henry Cavill, really popularised the character again and kicked off the SnyderVerse.
In the movie, Superman battles against General Zod, played by Michael Shannon. In one of his past interviews, Henry Cavill talked about a scene that caused a lot of rifts. The actor revealed that he improvised the scene where General Zod dies.
Henry Cavill improvised a scene in Man of Steel
In 2021, actor Henry Cavill appeared for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter and explained that the scene where he screams after General Zod’s death in Man of Steel was not in the script,
“There is still a lot of storytelling for me to do as a Superman, and I would absolutely love the opportunity. The killing of Zod gave a reason for the character never to kill again. Superman falling to the ground and screaming afterward – I don’t think that was originally in the script, but I wanted to show the pain he had.”
The scene sparked a lot of debates on social media. It was Cavill’s first time portraying the iconic DC character and undoubtedly, he gave his best.
Henry Cavill explained what Superman went through at that moment
Cavill further explained that killing Zod affected really Superman. He had to make a decision that he didn’t want to,
“I did far more emotional takes they didn’t choose; tears were happening. He just killed the last remaining member of his species. That’s the choice he made in that moment, and he’ll never do that again. There’s an opportunity for growth after that, to explore the psyche of Superman as a deep, seemingly invulnerable god-like being but with real feeling on the inside. As I always say, ‘The cape is still in the closet.'”
Unfortunately, Cavill’s days as Superman have come to an end, as of now. The co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn is currently working on the next Superman movie, Superman: Legacy. A new actor is all set to portray the character now.
Man of Steel received mixed reviews
Man of Steel successfully reintroduced Superman to the modern audience, laid the foundation for Zack Snyder’s DC Extended Universe, and achieved significant commercial success, however, the reviews it received were quite mixed.
The approach was completely different. While some praised its visual effects, action sequences, and performances, others criticized the darker tone depicted in the film. The film grossed over $668 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 2013.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
