Now this is a savvy move for all involved!
In a move that merely confirms what I’ve been hearing for months –namely that the studio is confident as fuck in Man Of Steel— Warner Bros. is dealing with the loss of Tom Cruise as their Man From U.N.C.L.E. leading man by looking inward. The solution they’ve come up with is to cast none other than Henry Cavill, who is about to be a very well known star once his turn as Superman hits theaters in two weeks. The deal is not done, but Variety reports it as being very close.
Guy Ritchie is still behind the camera, and Cavill follows up George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Bradley Cooper, Johnny Depp, and Ben Affleck on the list of actors that have had the role at one point or another. Armie Hammer remains cast in the adaptation of the 60s spy series.
If this works out then it’s a confident move from WB and a great deal for Henry Cavill, who gets to put himself out there in a flagship role different from Superman right away. That will certainly help seal him as a movie star and not just Superman, a problem that has plagued other actors to take the role. It also gives him a buffer between any sequel or team-up projects resulting from the inevitable success of Man Of Steel.
What do you think- is this WB tossing A-list scraps to their new boy, or is this the studio doing some smart castling with their tentpole casting?