James Gunn is allegedly purging the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) of all remaining traces of Henry Cavill’s Superman and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. Shortly after it was announced that Cavill was being replaced as Superman and that Wonder Woman 3 was scrapped, insiders reported that the actors’ cameos had also been cut from the upcoming film, The Flash.
DC’s new co-CEOs, Gunn and Peter Safran, were instated in the studio on November 1, a month after Cavill appeared in a cameo in Black Adam as Superman and officially announced his return as the character after a five-year hiatus. However, Gunn and Safran quickly began shaking things up, and it turned out that Cavill’s Superman wasn’t in their vision for the future.
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Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman wasn’t in their vision either, as they scrapped Wonder Woman 3, which was in development. Shortly after Wonder Woman 3’s cancellation was announced, Cavill confirmed that he was stepping down from the Superman role.
However, before November 2022, Cavill and Gadot were very much going to be a part of DC’s future. Hence, Cavill allegedly shot a cameo in The Flash shortly after his cameo in Black Adam.
Gadot also allegedly had a secret cameo in The Flash as a tease of Wonder Woman 3. She is also believed to have a cameo in the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods film, but it is unknown if that cameo has been cut, too.
Insiders, though, claimed that both Gadot’s and Cavill’s scenes have been deleted from The Flash. While Gadot may still appear in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Cavill seemingly will not be seen again as Superman on the big screen.
Why were Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot cut from The Flash?
The decision to cut Cavill and Gadot from The Flash is believed to be Gunn’s and Safran’s latest step in ending the former DC regiment. Superman and Wonder Woman have been given the boot, and rumors suggest Jason Momoa’s Aquaman won’t return after Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Batman’s (Ben Affleck) future in the DC is also uncertain. However, Gunn has hinted that Affleck may be trading his cape for a director’s chair as he indicated he was looking for a project for him to direct.
Meanwhile, as Cavill said in the announcement of his replacement, Gunn and Safran are building a whole new universe. While there are still several films set to premiere that started before the co-CEOs arrival, they are likely trying to minimize those film’s connotations for the future.
Having Cavill’s or Gadot’s cameos remain could have left unresolved plot lines in the film. This is what happened with Black Adam.
Cavill appeared in the post-credit scene, seemingly promising a face-off between Superman and Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) which will not happen now. The Flash cameos likely also made teases for the future that couldn’t be fulfilled.
Despite The Flash cameo not making it to the screen, Cavill was still reportedly paid a hefty $250,000 per cameo.
Who will be the new Superman?
While Cavill’s Superman isn’t returning to DC Studios, Gunn and Safran do still play to have a Superman in the future. Gunn confirmed that they were recasting Superman and seeking a younger actor for the role.
No actor has been tied to the role yet, but fans have already begun to vouch for their favorite actors for the role. One actor who social media users honed in on is Jacob Elordi.
The 25-year-old Euphoria star is the right age and of the right build to play Superman. Plus, he has quite a bit of star power, especially among Gen Z.
Another name that has gained traction with fans is Wolfgang Novogratz. While he doesn’t have as extensive a resume as Elordi, the 25-year-old 6’3” actor definitely looks the part of Superman and needs a breakthrough role.
Other names that have come up are David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, and Austin Butler.
While the fans have their ideas, it remains to be seen who Gunn and Safran will ultimately nab for the role of young Superman.
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