Twist! Henry Cavill Out as Superman — Might He Reclaim Recast Witcher Role?

Henry Cavill‘s turn to wear the Superman cape has in fact “passed,” it has been announced, raising questions about whether the Brit will reclaim his role as The Witcher‘s Geralt of Rivia.

Netflix announced in October that The Witcher was renewed for Season 4, but that series star Cavill would vacate the role of Geralt of Rivia and hand his swords over to Hunger Games vet Liam Hemsworth. That shocking news comes just days after Cavill announced his big-screen return as Superman, following a Black Adam cameo. “A very small taste of what’s to come, my friends,” the actor wrote in an Instagram caption of a Clark Kent photo. “The dawn of hope renewed. Thank you for your patience, it will be rewarded.”

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But on Wednesday, newly installed DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn shared on Twitter that the DCU slate he and Peter Safran will be unveiling in the new year does include a Superman film, which Gunn is writing, and that while it will not be an origin story, it will focus “on an earlier part of Superman’s life, so the character will not be played by Henry Cavill.

“But we just had a great meeting with Henry and we’re big fans,” Gunn noted, “and we talked about a number of exciting possibilities to work together in the future.”

Cavill in turn 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 [Gunn and Safran’s] hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life,” he said. “James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved … the best of luck.”

Many fans of The Witcher who had loudly protested the Season 4 Geralt recast were quick to speculate that Cavill, now freed of any Superman obligations, might reclaim his key role. But sources tell TVLine that plans for The Witcher Season 4 “will not be affected” by news of Cavill’s Superman run ending.

After all, it is worth noting, Cavill’s exit from The Witcher by some accounts was not solely based on his anticipated DC commitments; instead, there have been unconfirmed reports that Cavill and the showrunners were not seeing eye-to-eye on bringing “a more book-accurate Geralt to the screen,” and that that also informed his decision.

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