The Truth Behind Henry Cavill’s Superman Comeback Rumors

So here we are: rumors are flying that Netflix buying Warner Bros. somehow equals Henry Cavill swooping back in as Superman and James Gunn getting bounced. It makes for a dramatic thread, sure. But when you drill into what is actually being reported versus what fans are manifesting online, the picture gets way messier (and way less likely to end with Cavill in the cape).

Why people think Cavill could come back

The logic chain goes like this: Netflix has a history with Zack Snyder and Henry Cavill. After Snyder split with WB, he set up shop at Netflix with multiple projects. Cavill headlined The Witcher there for three seasons. So if Netflix takes over WB, the thinking is they might roll back to Snyder-era DC and put Cavill front and center. There was even a now-viral claim that Netflix is secretly in talks with Cavill to lead a DCEU rebirth. Posts like one shared on Dec 19, 2025 helped push that narrative, framing Cavill as the guy to lead a new superhero charge under a Netflix-run DC banner. It is exactly the kind of speculation that spreads like wildfire.

Do the numbers actually favor Cavill?

Fans pointing to the box office aren’t doing it for nothing. James Gunn’s Superman (the first DCU theatrical film) finished at $616,684,465 worldwide, per Box Office Mojo. Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel ended at $670,145,518. On the surface, those are in the same ballpark. But some fan accounts tried to add context by looking at ticket sales, not just dollars.

• Average U.S. ticket price in 2013: $8.13 vs. 2025: $16.08 (per @gunnverse on IG)
• Estimated tickets sold: Man of Steel ~82.4 million vs. Superman ~38.35 million
• Inflation-adjusted take for Man of Steel: about $798.2 million (via Fortress of Solitude)
• Superman reportedly generated $125 million in profit for WB (via Variety)
• Second-week drop for Superman was 54%, which stacked up fine against this year’s Marvel drops (via Forbes)

All of that makes Man of Steel look stronger in raw audience terms. But it doesn’t automatically translate to a corporate strategy shift in 2025, especially when WB still made money and saw relatively solid week-two retention on Gunn’s film.

The big, inconvenient Cavill/Snyder/Netflix baggage

Here’s where the fantasy hits friction:

Cavill’s history with Netflix isn’t exactly smooth. He exited The Witcher after season 3 amid reports he didn’t align with the show’s creative direction veering off the books. The Liam Hemsworth-led handoff was met with rough reviews, and Cavill’s recent films (Argylle and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare) didn’t light up the box office. That doesn’t scream slam-dunk incentive for Netflix to rebuild DC around him.

On the Snyder side, multiple reports say Netflix has been stepping back from his slate. TheWrap reported in August 2024 that Netflix quietly shelved the Army of the Dead follow-ups, including the planned sequel Planet of the Dead and the animated prequel series Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas. Rebel Moon was positioned as a major swing but has been widely characterized as a disappointment, and while Snyder originally teased four to six entries (via Radio Times), insiders now say the franchise isn’t a priority for Netflix.

Snyder’s animated series Twilight of the Gods drew some enthusiasm, but it wasn’t renewed for a second season (via MovieWeb). There were also reports of a disagreement between Snyder and Netflix over a proposed $100 million LAPD action movie (via World of Reel). None of that screams Netflix is dying to deepen its Snyder spend right now.

About that whole 'fire James Gunn' idea

Reports around the dealmaking point in the opposite direction. Variety reported that WB rejected Paramount/Skydance’s hostile takeover attempt and that WB shareholders backed the Netflix bid because the terms were more agreeable. Those terms reportedly include keeping James Gunn and Peter Safran in charge of DC, plus keeping WB Films heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy.

YouTuber John Campea said Netflix intends to keep Gunn, Safran, De Luca, and Abdy, and that the sale structure is built to maintain current operations. Netflix itself said it would "maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations and build on its strengths, including theatrical releases for films" (via BBC). Campea also argued Netflix wouldn’t announce anything negative, like firing Gunn, this early in the process.

THR reported Warner Bros. Discovery plans to pay $38.7 million in retention bonuses to top executives to keep them in place. Meanwhile, Bloomberg interviewed DC co-CEO Peter Safran, who did not exactly hedge about their importance or direction:

"[Gunn]'s been the architect of this grand vision... If you're gonna make a Batman movie, it better be f**king awesome."

Safran said they’re staying on course after Superman and not changing plans. WB even extended Gunn and Safran’s contracts through Spring 2027 for now. With WB films outpacing Disney and Universal at the box office when Superman landed, the studio quickly greenlit a sequel. Gunn is moving ahead on Superman: Man of Tomorrow, and Supergirl is already planted on the 2026 calendar.

So... is Cavill actually coming back?

Never say never in superhero land, but lining up the rumors against the reporting: Netflix’s alleged deal terms favor keeping Gunn and the current DC plan, not resurrecting the Snyder-era slate or reinstalling Cavill. On top of that, the recent Netflix/Snyder friction and Cavill’s complicated Witcher exit make a sudden coronation feel unlikely.

If you want to run your own eye test, both Man of Steel and Superman are streaming on HBO Max. And if you’re all-in on the Cavill comeback theory or the Gunn-and-Safran-are-staying reality, tell me where you land in the comments. I’m genuinely curious how you’re gaming this out.