With Henry Cavill out as Superman, perhaps a certain singer who rose to fame in the 1980s could suit up as the next Man of Steel. While Cavill had intended to appear in several more movies as Superman following his return in Black Adam, major changes at DC Studios have squashed these plans. James Gunn has announced that Superman will be rebooted for the DCU with the search underway for a new actor in the role.Seeing an opportunity, Rick Astley took to Twitter to post an image of himself in Superman tights. Previously, Astley recorded a song called "Superman," so he's clearly a fan of the beloved DC superhero. Perhaps with the image and the song in mind, the "Never Gonna Give You Up" singer is throwing his name into the hat for the DCU's Superman, though the post seems likely to be in jest."It's been years since I put this on but it still fits! Ready and waiting (James Gunn)," Astley says in the tweet, which you can view below.
Who Will Be the Next Superman?
What goes against Astley's dream of playing Superman is that James Gunn is looking to hire someone younger than Henry Cavill. While not an origin story, the reboot will follow a younger Superman early into his crime-fighting career, similar to what Matt Reeves did with The Batman. There's no telling at this point who will play Gunn's Superman, and if he'll be using the opportunity to give the part to a rising star or someone more recognizable.
All we really know for sure is that it won't be Henry Cavill. The Rock seemed to tease that multiverse appearances from him as Black Adam would still be possible in the DCU, even with Black Adam 2 not moving forward. Meanwhile, Cavill said in his announcement that he was finished as Superman and that his time in the cape had passed, making it seem final that he really won't be coming back to that role ever again. Of course, it'd be hard to blame him after spending several years on the outside of it before returning as the Man of Steel in Black Adam, just for his overall return to be nixed.
"I will, after all, not be returning as Superman," Cavill shared. "After being told by the studio to announce my return back in October, prior to their hire, this news isn't the easiest, but that's life. The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build."
The actor added, "For those who have been by my side through the years..... we can mourn for a bit, but then we must remember.... Superman is still around. Everything he stands for still exists, and the examples he sets for us are still there! My turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will. It's been a fun ride with you all, onwards and upwards."