DC fans devastated by Henry Cavill’s exit as Superman – and want him to play Bond instead

In news that has set the internet ablaze, it has been confirmed that Henry Cavill will not be returning as Superman. "It's sad news, everyone," the actor wrote on Instagram. "I will, after all, not be returning as Superman. After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to [DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran's] hire, this news isn't the easiest, but that's life."

James Gunn also confirmed they were instead working on a new Superman movie, set earlier in the character’s life. DC fans have been sharing their disappointed reactions to the news, with some voicing their hopes Cavill’s career could be heading in a different direction.

"That is the worst," wrote one fan in response on Instagram. "They really have let Superman fans down. You would have rocked it given the right platform." A second added: "This is very disappointing to hear. I’d hoped the rumors were nonsense but even as someone who wasn’t a fan of Zack Snyder’s vision I could absolutely see why he cast you."

Posting on Twitter another DC fan wrote: "Gotta be honest, this is a huge letdown. This had nothing to do with Snyder or anything, it purely had to do with WB & DC dropping the ball with Cavill as Superman and the DC on Film Universe."

Some fans saw the silver lining of the announcement, however, pointing out it could free Cavill up for another project. "So sad. On to bigger & better. The new James Bond maybe," commented one on the original Instagram post, while another said: "Attn: Barbara Broccoli, schedule’s clear for Bond". A third simply wrote: "The door to Bond is now open".

This isn’t the only major franchise Cavill has exited in 2022 either, after confirming he was leaving The Witcher too. He’ll appear in The Witcher season 3, before being replaced by Liam Hemsworth as Geralt of Rivia.

For what’s still on the DC slate, check out our guide to all of the upcoming new superhero movies.