James Gunn’s Superman is already one of the most anticipated superhero films, and ahead of its release, it’s giving rise to multiple rumors and fan theories that simply sound too good to be true, like the possible return of Henry Cavill!
The internet has erupted with these storylines after one announcement. People are convinced that Gunn is hiding something big, but he has already denied such claims. Could this be his misdirection, brewing a glorious surprise for us in the DCU?
The Henry Cavill Ultraman theory
When insider Jeff Sneider revealed that Superman would feature a huge cameo and described it as one of “the biggest one of the film,” almost immediately, speculations turned to Henry Cavill. This time around, they didn’t expect to see him as Man of Steel but as a dark mirror image, Ultraman.
Now, featuring Cavill as the Ultraman, a tyrannical alternate-universe counterpart to Superman, would be a great way to re-introduce him without stepping on David Corenswet’s fresh take of the character. In The Flash, the multiverse had been established, which makes such an appearance entirely plausible.
But it’s important to note that this movie belonged to the DCEU, whereas the upcoming Superman film is part of the DCU, where we’ll have a newly imagined version of the characters. Whether these two will be connected or not, it’s hard to tell just yet because James Gunn has still kept us in the dark.
James Gunn’s DCU puzzle: Will a Henry Cavill cameo fit?
James Gunn had shut down our assumptions in 2024 itself with a post on Threads, where he tried to hammer in the point that the “main villain of Superman is Lex Luthor.” He also suggested that fans shouldn’t believe in the theories and should only rely on the studio for any official updates. At a New York Comic Con, Gunn explained how the DCEU and DCU might still share a link (via Screenrant).
We learn that other things that have happened in the past in other media have still happened. There are references to things that happened in the past. And those references then become canon in the DCU because we mention them.
His statements and actions are somewhat confusing, as Gunn has also taken down any other renditions of Superman off the market to not cause confusion or perceived overlap. But he also claims that a few things from the DCEU would still be canon. If DCU is a fresh start, then how is it still connected to the DCEU? Is he trying to strike a delicate balance that would open up fascinating new possibilities?
That way, if Cavill were to be Ultraman, it wouldn’t require the audiences to revisit his previous Superman films; it would simply be a bold, standalone twist. Lex Luthor is possibly the main villain he faces in the first installment, but the larger looming threat could be Ultraman, who could very well show up if Gunn decides to harness the multiverse theory.
With that being said, all of this does sound a bit too aspirational, like we’re struggling to let go of Cavill because he defined the Superman of our generation. Gunn likely won’t make the beloved actor return because it would completely overshadow the excitement of David Corensweet’s portrayal.
Superman will be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
