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6 Actors Who Could Take Over as the Man of Steel

If and when Henry Cavill is out as Superman, DC should consider these replacements.
By  · Published on September 13th, 2018

Both Warner Bros. and the actor are sort of denying it, but Henry Cavill is likely calling it quits as DC’s iconic Man of Steel. Parting may not be such sweet sorrow, however. Those comments from Cavill about the #MeToo Movement haven’t exactly left too good an impression of the Superman star in the public eye as of late. Also, this departure would open the role up to some pretty exciting casting potential.

Obviously, it’s very unlikely that Warner Bros. will be rolling out any new Superman films too soon following Cavill’s exit from the DCEU. But, should the opportunity arise, it could be time for a talented, unproblematic new Supes to take the stage. No matter what the future holds for the character, here are a few of the best actors who would absolutely rock the abandoned red boots:

Michael B. Jordan

We’re not the only ones who think the charismatic Black Panther actor would make an amazing Superman. Deadline has already generated some considerable buzz about Warner Bros.’ apparent consideration of Jordan for Cavill’s replacement. Having him portray DC’s most famous hero would be a cause for celebration for a number of reasons. Obviously, he’s got talent. Besides his role as the dynamic and surprisingly sympathetic bad guy Killmonger in Marvel’s Black Panther, Jordan has shown his range in other knockout performances in films like Creed and 2013’s Fruitvale Station. He would also be the first black actor to play the Man of Steel in a live-action film. Not to mention, science shows that Superman should actually be black, which is actually pretty fascinating. More importantly, though, Jordan has the perfect amount of charm and magnetism to play Clark Kent/Superman. He’s more than ready for such a huge role.

Armie Hammer

Let’s not forget that Armie Hammer has some action roles under his belt, from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. to The Lone Ranger. He’s done a pretty mixed bunch of films in the past and has a lot of dramatic experience, as well. His popularity factor has also skyrocketed after his role as Oliver in the hit indie Call Me By Your Name. We’d just have to see what the actor would look like without his facial stubble, because no one is putting a CGI upper lip on Armie Hammer on my watch.

Henry Golding

New Hollywood heartthrob Henry Golding would definitely be one of the more popular choices for Supes, as he made waves recently as Nicholas Young in the box office smash Crazy Rich Asians. His career is on an upward spike for sure after this success, making such an iconic role the perfect next step for the English-Malaysian actor. It’s unclear at the moment how well he would fare in an action movie role, but his brief filmography shows that there is a lot of time and room for him to explore the full extent of his acting potential. The costume and persona would be an ideal fit for Golding. Perhaps the rest would follow suit.

Jake Gyllenhaal

As far as talent in Hollywood goes, there is perhaps no one more committed to his roles and to delivering a stellar performance than Jake Gyllenhaal. How he has yet to snatch up an Oscar for Best Actor is beyond me. Lately, though, he has begun to briefly enter the comic book world after his casting as Mysterio in the upcoming Spiderman: Far From Home. His ability to swing from contemplative and melancholy performances to more frenzied and off-beat ones shows he would fit right in as a supervillain. However, this capability would also make him an especially remarkable Superman. How fun would it be to see Gyllenhaal, after all the various roles we’ve seen him in, don a cape and boots and bring something entirely new and raw to the character? There’s something haunting in all of Gyllenhaal’s performances, whether positively or negatively charged, and Kal-El’s own backstory has an undeniable haunting quality to it. At times we lose this tragic part of Superman’s past, but Jake Gyllenhaal could reconnect us to these emotions, while still presenting the quiet farmboy charm we are familiar with of the character.

Nicolas Cage

No, seriously. If he was almost Superman once, then who’s to say he couldn’t almost be Superman again? With the disappointing failure of Superman Lives, reclaiming the canceled role would truly be a triumph in Nicolas Cage’s career. He got some redemption from that loss in this summer’s Teen Titans Go! To the Movies by voicing the film’s animated Superman, although however sweet a victory that was has been slighted by the failure of the kids’ film. The plot of his would-be Superman flick would likely be scrapped, though, as it featured the “Death of Superman” storyline from the comics, an avenue the DCEU already went down in Batman v. Superman and Justice League. Maybe Tim Burton could even return to the comic book film world for this one…

Matt Bomer

Hollywood needs to start casting more (or even one) LGBTQ actors or actresses in major superhero roles. It would be a huge step if DC decided to cast an openly gay actor, such as American Horror Story‘s Matt Bomer. He has the more classic Superman image and even voiced the Kryptonian in the 2013 animated film Superman: Unbound. His previous casting as the voice of Superman shows that someone considered him perfect for the role, so why not bring this into the live-action realm?

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Kendall is a recent graduate and San Diego native who is passionate about the environment, writing, and above all else Keanu Reeves.