Snyderverse Movement Gains Steam After Zack Snyder Shows Support for Henry Cavill’s Win Over New DCU ‘Superman’

Zack Snyder’s connection to the DC Universe may have shifted dramatically over the last few years, but his latest social media activity has put him back at the center of the fan conversation—particularly when it comes to Henry Cavill’s Superman.

As the new era of DC storytelling continues under James Gunn and Peter Safran, Snyder’s posts are once again stirring interest in what came before, raising questions about nostalgia, direction, and what audiences really want from the franchise going forward.

When Gunn and Safran formally stepped in to lead DC Studios, expectations were high. The studio needed a unified plan after years of structural shake-ups and conflicting narratives about character continuity. Instead, the road to that soft reboot has been anything but smooth, amplified by mixed communication around casting, uncertainty about canon, and the long shadow cast by the Snyderverse.

Nothing symbolized that turbulence more than the situation surrounding Henry Cavill’s Superman. In late 2022, Cavill stunned fans by announcing he would not return as the Man of Steel—even though Warner Bros. had previously indicated the opposite, especially following his appearance in the Black Adam (2022) post-credits sequence alongside Dwayne Johnson.

Gunn later addressed the contradiction, explaining that he and Safran had not yet officially begun their tenure at the time Cavill was told he was returning. The transition had created a communication gap between the studio’s outgoing leadership and the incoming vision.

According to Gunn, “It’s terrible … the day our deal closed, all of a sudden, they were announcing that Henry was back … the plan was to come in and do a new Superman.” He added that Cavill handled the reversal with professionalism, requesting only that he be allowed to share the news directly with fans.

To emphasize the point, Gunn later stated again that Cavill wasn’t “fired”—he simply wasn’t part of the new direction. “For me, the right story and the filmmakers we have for that story—it isn’t Henry,” he said, clarifying that the new Superman film required a younger lead to support a different narrative arc.

That new era began with 2025’s Superman, led by David Corenswet. It follows the debut of the animated series Creature Commandos and precedes 2026’s Supergirl, which features House of the Dragon star Milly Alcock.

Still, Cavill’s name refuses to fade from the conversation. Snyder recently shared a black-and-white photo of Cavill in costume, captioning it simply: “Henry Cavill is Superman.” Fans immediately interpreted the gesture as a hint that Cavill could reappear someday—perhaps in a separate continuity or as part of a standalone project.

Fueling speculation further, Netflix promoted its own image of Cavill’s Superman alongside Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam. Shortly after, Snyder posted again.

This time on Instagram, Snyder shared a new image of Cavill with the caption: “Henry in his natural setting.” The reactions came quickly, as comments like “the one and only” and “this is the Superman of our generation” echoed through the thread, demonstrating the continued devotion of the fanbase.

The original DCEU, beginning with Snyder’s Man of Steel in 2013, launched with a strong foundation. Man of Steel earned more than $670 million worldwide and introduced a more grounded, introspective version of Superman.

The follow-up, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, continued to perform well financially but polarized critics. The turmoil escalated during 2017’s Justice League, which underwent major creative changes after Snyder exited the project. Although he later returned to release Zack Snyder’s Justice League on HBO Max in 2021, the franchise’s identity had already splintered.

Warner Bros. Discovery ultimately opted to reboot the universe under Gunn and Safran. Their first major theatrical entry, Superman (2025), earned around $616 million worldwide on a $225 million budget. Yet early reactions to the emerging DCU have been uneven, with viewers noting inconsistent continuity and frequent explanations from Gunn about what counts as canon.

The ongoing need to define the rules has contributed to the perception of an unsettled universe. That turbulence set the stage for Snyder’s latest action: liking a post that compares the box office performance of Cavill’s Man of Steel with Gunn’s Superman, where the former came out on top.

Meanwhile, Cavill has been moving forward with a diverse slate of projects. After departing The Witcher following his final season, he starred in Matthew Vaughn’s 2024 spy comedy Argylle and reunited with Guy Ritchie for the WWII action feature The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

His collaboration with Ritchie continues in the upcoming In the Grey, co-starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Eiza González. Cavill is also closely involved in Amazon’s Warhammer 40,000 universe, a passion project that positions him as both star and creative force.

Collectively, these choices show Cavill’s focus on variety, shaping an ambitious post-Superman career across multiple genres. Even so, his impact on the role remains strong, and fans continue to campaign for his return.

Whether Snyder’s recent posts are affectionate callbacks or signals of something more, the result is clear: the legacy of Cavill’s Superman is still influencing the conversation. As Gunn and Safran work to stabilize their reimagined DC Universe—while Warner Bros. Discovery approaches a major sale—the renewed attention around the Snyderverse adds yet another complication.

How do you feel about the pursuit to bring Henry Cavill’s Superman back? Let us know in the comments down below!