The future of DC Films has been rocky due to Warner Brothers’ recent Merger with Discovery and David Zaslav taking over the famous studio. However, in the last decade, there have been a couple of gems in DC’s catalog that fans have held on tight to. One of those films is Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel starring Henry Cavill as Superman. It’s the film that kicked off the DCEU as we know it, but since its release in 2013, Man of Steel never received a sequel. However, that now looks to be changing. Reported exclusively by The Hollywood Reporter, DC is developing a Man of Steel 2 with Cavill set to return. The studio is currently in the process of looking for a writer.
This news is a part of a larger DC piece detailing the franchise's future, but longtime DC producer Charles Roven is on the project and apparently, WB has a director wishlist. THR highlights that Mission: Impossible’s Christopher McQuarrie is on that list. That’s all we know as of now. It makes sense that McQuarrie would be desired as he worked with Cavill on Mission: Impossible - Fallout. While McQuarrie is currently hard at work on the last two M:I films Dead Reckoning Part One and Two, Man of Steel 2 is still in the very early stages of development. McQuarrie has already shown he can handle an action-heavy blockbuster with M:I which makes him the perfect choice to tackle a character like Superman.
When Man of Steel was released, it was a film that was divisive among both fans and critics alike. It was very much a Snyder film that posed the question, what if Superman landed in our real world? Because of that, it was a much darker Superman story than mainstream audiences were used to at that time. Thankfully in the decade since the film has gotten a reappraisal. Cavill’s wonderful performance alone made that film one of the most complex character studies found in any modern superhero blockbuster. From its brilliant action to its epic musical score from Hans Zimmer to the great villains, Man of Steel is a top 10 comic book film of all time. That’s why this news is going to make a lot of fans happy. It feels like DC fans have been waiting for ages for some good news after the countless delays, cancelations, and conflicting bleak reports. This is not only the good news we’ve been waiting for, it might be the best DC news a fan could ask for.
While nothing is set in stone at this point, it's just nice knowing that the ball has started to roll on a follow-up to Man of Steel. It sounds like Cavill’s Superman is going to be a major part of DC’s future under Zaslav. The next film in the DCEU, Black Adam, is coming out this weekend. Star Dwayne Johnson has been teasing his potential fight with Superman ever since San Diego Comic-Con this past summer. While we wait to hear more news on Man of Steel 2, you can read THR’s full DC article on their website. You can also stream the entire DCEU, including Man of Steel on HBO Max now. The trailer for Man of Steel can be viewed down below.