Henry Cavill will not return as Superman in the new DC Universe, but the DCEU’s Clark Kent had some amazing moments that set the bar high for Superman: Legacy. Shortly after Cavill returned as Superman for Black Adam’s post-credits scene, a new DC Universe was announced. DC Studios is building a new shared universe, in which James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy will be the first theatrical entry.
So far, only Viola Davis is confirmed to reprise her DCEU role in the new franchise. James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe is expected to be a major reboot that will introduce new versions of characters like Superman and Batman. Henry Cavill’s run as Superman went from 2013’s Man of Steel to 2022’s Black Adam. Here are 10 Henry Cavill Superman scenes that set the bar high for both Superman: Legacy and the new DC Universe.
10 Superman: Legacy Must Capture Superman’s Magic Like “First Flight” Did
While the DCEU’s Superman was often criticized for being too dark, Man of Steel had one of the most inspiring Superman scenes ever put on screen. The “First Flight,” which refers to the moment Clark Kent put on his Kryptonian suit for the first time and learned how to fly, ranks high in the list of best Henry Cavill Superman scenes. Up until that point, Clark had wandered around the world trying to learn more about who he was. Clark Kent knew that he was not from Earth, yet he had no idea why he was sent there.
Shortly before his “first flight,” Clark learned of his Kryptonian name, Kal-El. The soon-to-be Superman also got to interact with Jor-El’s A.I. ghost and learned about what happened to Krypton. While Superman’s origin story had already been told both in Superman (1978) and Smallville, Man of Steel brought something unique to the character’s legacy. Richard Donner’s Superman made audiences believe that a character could fly, and Man of Steel captured similar magic with the “First Flight” sequence. Superman: Legacy will not be an origin story, but it can give Superman similarly memorable flying scenes.
9 Superman vs. Faora-Ul Is What A Perfect Superman Fight Looks Like
Live-action Superman has existed for decades, but not many iterations nailed what a Superman fighting scene should look like. Obviously, the Christopher Reeve-led Superman films could only do so much in terms of action pieces given the technology available at the time. Superman Returns, on the other hand, had a disappointing level of action compared to other early 2000s superhero films. It was only in Man of Steel that Superman felt as powerful as his comic book counterpart. Having Clark face Kryptonians helped, as Superman could use his real strength against such formidable enemies.
Man of Steel is the most action-packed live-action Superman film to this day. From the moment the Kryptonians arrive on Earth to General Zod’s death, Man of Steel delivered some great fighting sequences. More specifically, Superman vs. Faora-Ul and Nam-Ek felt light a combination of comic book fights and anime action sequences. Superman knew how to control his powers better than the Kryptonians, but Faora had trained to be a soldier for her whole life. Superman: Legacy’s villain remains to be revealed, but Man of Steel set the bar high when it comes to Superman’s antagonists.
8 Superman: Legacy Must Test The Character (Like Superman Killing Zod Did)
Superman: Legacy can be a new beginning for Superman on the big screen. However, the upcoming Superman reboot must keep testing the character, so that the new DC Universe can bring something different compared to Man of Steel. Superman: Legacy is expected to be a more classic take on Superman, especially compared to Man of Steel. However, it should still place Kal-El in difficult situations. Man of Steel had arguably the most controversial Superman movie moment, General Zod’s death. As divisive as Superman killing Zod was, that moment set the tone for the DCEU. Superman: Legacy and the new DC Universe must find different ways to explore Clark’s “Superman code.”
7 Clark Seeing Jonathan Kent In BvS In Is The Sweetness Superman: Legacy Needs
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice had a very dark take on Superman’s story. Following the events of Man of Steel, not everyone in the world was on Superman’s side. Batman v Superman saw how differently people reacted to Superman, something that was symbolized by both Lex Luthor and Batman. Despite grim moments like Clark’s “No one stays good in this world,” the film featured a very sweet Clark Kent scene. After being set up by Luthor, Clark flew away to a distant mountain and questioned his Superman mission. Jonathan Kent, who died in Man of Steel, appeared to Clark in a brief but meaningful scene.
Moments like Clark seeing a vision of his late father in Batman v Superman or talking to his mom about his Kryptonian heritage in Man of Steel were essential to define who Kal-El was. Superman: Legacy has a few different options to explore Clark Kent’s relationship with his family. For example, in the DC Animated Universe timeline, both Jonathan and Martha Kent were alive after Clark became Superman. However, in both Superman (1978) and Man of Steel, Jonathan Kent dies shortly before Clark becomes a Superhero.
6 Superman Suiting Up In The Snyder Cut Celebrated Clark’s Heritage
Superman: Legacy’s title suggests that the film will dive into the character’s pop culture legacy, at least on a meta-level. The title of the upcoming Superman reboot also works in terms of the story. Superman will already have a legacy in the film, as Clark will be an established superhero in this new universe. Henry Cavill’s Superman suiting up in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the moment in which Superman’s black suit was introduced, achieved something similar. As Superman prepared himself to fly again, the voices of both Jonathan Kent and Jor-El could be heard. That moment celebrated Superman’s DCEU legacy, bringing Snyder’s DC trilogy full circle.
5 Legacy Must Showcase Superman’s True Power (Like The Steppenwolf Fight Did)
Man of Steel’s Kryptonian fight was not the only time the DCEU displayed Superman’s true power. In both versions of Justice League, Superman is the one who defeats Steppenwolf and saves the day. Not even the combined efforts of Wonder Woman, Cyborg, Aquaman, the Flash, and Batman was able to stop Steppenwolf and the parademons. However, it took only a few seconds for Superman to destroy Darkseid’s lieutenant. Superman vs. Steppenwolf showed why Superman is one of the strongest beings in the DC Universe. A Superman film needs more than just action sequences, but those moments are extremely important, especially for a new Superman iteration.
4 Jonathan Kent Needs To Guide Clark (Like In His Man Of Steel Speech)
Man of Steel‘s Jonathan Kent feared that Clark would be in danger if the world discovered the truth about him. This led to one of the most controversial DCEU moments, in which Jonathan Kent suggested that Clark should not have helped save his friends after the bus crash. Jonathan did not have all the answers that Clark needed, but he always tried to guide his son as best as he could. Superman’s father died so that Clark could keep his powers hidden, which made Kal-El’s choice to become Superman even more cathartic. Martha Kent and Jor-El also played a huge role in shaping the hero Superman would be.
Superman’s parents, both the ones from Earth and the ones from Krypton, are essential to any Superman story. It will be interesting to see how differently the Kents will be in Superman: Legacy compared to Man of Steel, especially regarding their stance on Clark’s powers. Whatever route the upcoming Superman reboot chooses, having a few scenes centered on Jonathan and Martha Kent can lead to a more relatable Clark Kent.
3 Superman: Legacy Needs To Show Clark Saving Normal People (Like On The Oil Rig)
One common criticism aimed at the DCEU’s Superman is the lack of moments in which Clark just saves people. In Man of Steel, before Clark became Superman, the character would travel around the world helping people away from the spotlight. Scenes like Man of Steel’s Oil Rig, in which Clark is not fighting a giant monster but rather saving people, are key to building Superman’s character. Henry Cavill’s Superman got to face Kryptonians, New Gods, and parademons, but Superman: Legacy could perhaps go for something smaller. Superman does not necessarily have to fight Darkseid or Brainiac for Superman: Legacy to feature heroic scenes.
2 Superman: Legacy Must Nail Lois & Clark’s Relationship (Like Man Of Steel Did)
Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s relationship is a central part of both of their characters. However, not every story nails the dynamic between Superman and Lois. Man of Steel went for something different, as Lois found out who Clark was before he even became Superman. Despite skipping the “Will Lois find out Clark is Superman” beat, the DCEU had one of the best versions of Lois and Clark’s relationship. Lois Lane is expected to appear in Superman: Legacy, which might see the beginning of her friendship with Clark Kent. Superman will be relatively young in Superman: Legacy, meaning that the DC Universe can slowly build Lois and Clark’s relationship.
1 Legacy Needs To Show Superman’s Impact On The World (Like BvS’s Montage)
The new DC Universe is expected to embrace the fantastical side of DC Comics. For example, Batman: The Brave and the Bold will feature Robin; Creature Commandos will bring obscure horror DC characters to the screen, and the Authority will get its own movie. However, that doesn’t mean those characters can’t feel part of the real world. Batman v Superman’s “Must there be a Superman montage” perfectly showed Superman’s impact on the world. Superman: Legacy is skipping Clark’s origin story, so it would be interesting to see how much the world has changed since Superman flew up into the sky for the first time.
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