James Gunn has clarified that Henry Cavill was “not fired” as Superman – he was just not re-hired.

Back in October, the British actor declared that he would be returning as the Man of Steel following his cameo in Black Adam. However, after James Gunn and Peter Safran became heads of DC Studios in November, they told Cavill they were heading in a different direction with the character.

During a press conference this week, Gunn insisted the headlines suggesting Cavill had been fired were incorrect because he never had a deal in place for another movie.

“We didn’t fire Henry. Henry was never cast,” the new studio executive clarified, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “For me, it’s about, ‘Who do I want to cast as Superman, and who do the filmmakers we have want to cast?’ And for me, for this story, it isn’t Henry.”

He acknowledged that Cavill has been messed around by the regime changes at Warner Bros. and DC, adding, “I like Henry, I think he’s a great guy. I think he’s getting d**ked around by a lot of people, including the former regime at this company. But this Superman is not Henry, for a number of reasons.”

Gunn and Safran unveiled their upcoming DC Studios slate on Tuesday, revealing that Superman: Legacy, which will star a much younger actor, will truly kick off their plans for the DCU in earnest. The film, to be written by Gunn, will be released in July 2025.

In addition, they announced they are making Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, a new Batman and Robin feature titled The Brave and the Bold, a Swamp Thing horror movie and a film about DC rogue squad The Authority. They also unveiled plans for five TV shows – animated series Creature Commandos, a Peacemaker spin-off titled Waller, starring Viola Davis, Paradise Lost, Booster Gold and Lanterns.

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