Henry Cavill's future as Superman remains a big question for Warner Bros., and it's reportedly just one of the issues for DC Films that is frustrating the new management at Warner Bros. Discovery.
Cavill played Superman in a film led by Zack Snyder, but due to the higher-ups at DC, this film series is all but dissolved. Only a few actors remain following the aftermath of Joss Whedon, and it seems like DC can't catch a break. However, for Superman specifically, DC could've prevented the actor's departure.
There's constant debate internally as to how DC should continue, and Variety reports that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is "frustrated that [DC's] cinematic output has been inconsistent and that there hasn’t been sufficient long-term planning in terms of rolling out sequels and follow-ups to popular movies." As more time passes, people will obviously get older, including the creators, the audience, and of course the actors. So, DC doesn't have a lot of wiggle room before one or all three of those groups begin losing interest.
It's been reported that DC Films is looking for its own leader the same way Marvel Studios has Kevin Feige. However, this in itself is very hard, as no resume can prove clear enough that someone has the talent to do what Feige did, because what Feige has done at Marvel Studios is a trailblazing moment in cinematic history. There aren't too many other "shared" universes in films, and none do it the way Marvel Studios has been doing.
All is not lost though, as DC remains in the ring thanks to their animated series/movies division as well as their video game side. Many DC projects have bested Marvel's in those realms, but Marvel has been on top of the game when it comes to live-action films. As long as DC has the other side of things on lock, they should have some breathing room to figure out their next move.
Batgirl, Black Canary, Joker 2, and Blue Beetle are all getting projects within the next year or two. As far as this year goes, The Batman was incredibly successful and already got a sequel, Black Adam looks amazing based on the trailer, and Super-Pets looks like a good way to attract the younger audience that DC usually isn't able to capture with their darker material. There is also a Shazam! Sequel coming at the end of the year. Hopefully, these solo outings will continue to keep DC afloat, as the comic book world wouldn't be fun if fans only had one conglomerate without the other.
Superman films are available to stream on HBO Max.
Source: Variety