It appears to be the case. Updates regarding the status of the DCEU have been dubious, at best. For months, it’s been a tug of war, with information going one way, then the other. This mostly centered around the role of Batman. Ben Affleck’s stay in the role looked shaky for a long time. Ever since his own solo film hit a rough spot, it’s been up in the air whether he’d return to the role in the DC Extended Universe. But things weren’t quite as uncertain for the part of Superman until recently, when it was suggested that Henry Cavill may not be reprising his role, either. This later turned out to not exactly be a fact, so much as a rumor, based on Cavill’s own cheeky posts to social media and vague responses when questioned. But now there may be a definitive answer.
A Variety report revealed that Warner Bros. was looking to move on from the two actors. The article read that the studio “is not moving forward with Batman and Superman movies featuring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, respectively.” It also noted that the role of Batman can be expected to be recast. Though one could note that it doesn’t mention the Superman role, further. This is largely due to the lack of new Superman films in development. Instead of more Superman movies, there are reportedly plans in place to develop a Supergirl film in the DCEU.
This isn’t the most surprising thing in the world, if true. As mentioned, Batman is a tricky spot for the DCEU, with the original plans for the movie scrapped. A new director was brought in with Matt Reeves, along with a new script. There’s also the matter of how controversial both roles have been, with a lot of pushback against the DCEU depictions of both, especially in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Funnily enough, an interview revolving around that very movie generated countless memes. Most of them set to the tune of Sound of Silence. That being said, most of the pushback came not from the casting, but from the writing and such. So these decisions are odd. It seems most likely that this was perhaps the decision of the actors, themselves, in some capacity. There currently aren’t any real suggestions as to who could take up either role.
Do you think we’ll see Cavill or Affleck again in the DCEU? Let us know in the comments below!