Kingsman Director Slams Zack Snyder For Wasting Henry Cavill As Superman
Matthew Vaughn criticized Zack Snyder's use of Henry Cavill as Superman, saying it was too dark a tone.
Although DC fans were initially hesitant when Henry Cavill was cast as Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, it didn’t take the British performer long to win over skeptics. Unfortunately, although Cavill is wildly regarded as one of the best actors to take on the role of Supes, the Zack Snyder-directed films in which he appears are often criticized for being too dark. According to FandomWire, Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn is one of the more prominent DC fans to blast Snyder for completely wasting Cavill as the Kryptonian superhero.
During an interview with The Wrap, Vaughn offered his input on what Snyder could have done differently to appease die-hard DC comic book fans. He believes Henry Cavill’s Superman and Ben Affleck’s Batman should have never been in the same film, as the gritty world of The Dark Knight just didn’t mesh well with the Superman vibe. The 51-year-old director said that he didn’t find the crossover between the two heroes in Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice “relatable in any way.”
Vaughn went on to divulge his love for the iconic Kryptonian hero and insisted any movie featuring the character “should be fun.” He added that he’s a huge fan of Henry Cavill and believes he could have made a more proper Superman flick had he been given the opportunity. He said his film would be “a colorful, fun Superman movie. Not a dark one.”
In 2017, Matthew Vaughn was the top choice to direct Henry Cavill in a follow-up to Man of Steel, but after Justice League’s poor reception and disappointing box office performance the same year, the project was scrapped by Warner Bros. Outside of Zack Snyder’s cut of the movie, which premiered on HBO Max in 2021, Cavill has not reprised his Superman role since. And sadly, he probably never will with new DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran going in an entirely different direction with their cinematic universe.
The pair recently unveiled several of the forthcoming films in the first chapter of the new DC Universe, which they are calling “Gods and Monsters.” The first project headed our way, and sadly without the involvement of Henry Cavill, is Superman: Legacy. The movie will reportedly feature a younger version of the iconic hero and is due in theaters on July 11, 2025.
Even though Vaughn will likely never get to direct Henry Cavill in a Superman film, he was able to collaborate with the star on the upcoming action flick Argylle for Apple TV+. He said working with the actor was a delight and Cavill is absolutely extraordinary in the movie. The film is based on the yet-to-be-released novel of the same name by first-time author Elly Conway.
The story centers on a world-class spy suffering from amnesia who is tricked into believing he is a best-selling spy novelist. After his memories and lethal skills return, he goes down a path of revenge against the shadowy organization he used to work for, the Division. In addition to Henry Cavill, the forthcoming movie stars Bryan Cranston, Bryce Dallas Howard, John Cena, Samuel L. Jackson, Sam Rockwell, Catherine O’Hara, Ariana DeBose, Rob Delaney, and Dua Lipa.
