Next summer, Superman flies back into theatres around the globe with a new man wearing the iconic red-and-blue uniform. British thespian Henry Cavill takes on the title role in Man of Steel (directed by Zach Snyder), which Warner Bros. hopes will reboot the famed film franchise. We’re in, Day One!
Cavill, 29, is already familiar to TV audiences thanks to several seasons of The Tudors opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers, where he was a standout for his acting chops as well as his good looks.
Movie audiences have had a couple of chances in recent months to catch Cavill as an action star. He played Theseus in the Greek epic Immortals, and starred opposite Bruce Willis in the contemporary thriller The Cold Light of Day.
On paper, both films seemed like a good bet. Immortals, like Man of Steel, is heavily reliant on computer generated imagery and thanks to the time period, Cavill was able to show off plenty of his tanned, toned physique. But the movie underperformed at the box office, relative to its production and advertising budget.
And while Cold Light of Day offered a chance to play a hunky good guy caught up in unbelievable circumstances, the movie was roundly panned by critics and cratered at the box office. If Cavill’s agents want to find a silver lining, it’s that so few people saw Cold Light of Day that it likely won’t have any effect on Man of Steel at all.
Nevertheless, he should take our advice and seek out juicy supporting roles and ensembles, dramatic or comedic, where he isn’t required to carry the whole film. He’s not a movie star yet, not in the sense that his name in the marquee is enough to put butts in seats.
In the meantime, Man of Steel won’t be in theatres for months but the publicity machine is already churning. A giggly Amy Adams, who plays Lois Lane, recently revealed to TotalFilm.com that she totally bought into Cavill’s performance—and she was on the set with the guy. “You feel like you’re in scenes with Superman,” she said. “He is completely invested and he just really took the role very seriously and yeah, he’s fantastic, he’s so yum.”
“Whenever I had to look into his eyes I would just start giggling. I was like, ‘Oh I gotta stop this.’
Do you blame her for going weak-kneed? The guy is definitely grade-A beefcake. All the more reason to resist the temptation to line up cheesy Hollywood wannabe tentpoles, should Man of Steel hit a homerun at the box office.
So, listen up Henry! Man of Steel and its inevitable sequels are enough blockbuster material for anyone. You’ve got a chance at the golden ticket now, so don’t buy too heavily into the hype and think long-term. We are rooting for you.
Trivia note: In 2005, Empire magazine dubbed Cavill the “Unluckiest Man in Hollywood” because he was nearly cast as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which went to Robert Pattinson, and was also considered a contender for the role of Edward Cullen in the Twilight series, which again went to Pattinson. He was also vying for the role of James Bond in the rebooted franchise, but lost out to Daniel Craig, and even saw his first shot at Superman disintegrate when director McG walked away from the project some years ago. Eventually, the movie was reconstituted with director Bryan Singer and Brandon Routh in the lead role. Eventually, however, Cavill’s patience was rewarded.
CLICK HERE for The Cold Light of Day official website.
CLICK HERE for the official Man of Steel website.