Summary
Henry Cavillalready has his replacement for Superman and Geralt of Rivia thanks toHighlander, and it must avoid one problem that Cavill’s biggest characters have in common. Henry Cavill is now one of the most popular action stars of the last decade thanks to two major roles in two very different franchises. In 2013, Cavill joined the superhero genre when he played Clark Kent/Superman in the DC Extended Universe’s first movie,Man of Steel. Cavill reprised his role in two more movies and had a couple of cameos before the DCEU went through a reboot.
In 2019, Cavill joined the world ofThe Witcherwhen he starred in Netflix’s TV adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels. Cavill’s portrayal of Geralt of Rivia received a lot of praise from critics and fans of the novels and video games, and was the one consistent thing in the series as it faced backlash for the many changes it made to the books. Now,Cavill is adding another franchise to his filmography withHighlander, but it has to avoid a big problem Superman and Geralt have in common.
10 Most Exciting Things About Henry Cavill’s Highlander Reboot
A Highlander reboot starring Henry Cavill is in the works, and while it does have a lot to stand up to, there are lots of things to be excited about.
The Biggest Problem With Henry Cavill’s Superman & Witcher Roles
Henry Cavill’s Biggest Roles Share One Problem
Superman and Geralt helped further establish Henry Cavill as an action star, but they share one huge problem that risks becoming a really bad career trend:the stories of both are unfinished. Cavill’s Superman had a strong start inMan of Steel, and his next appearance was inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Atthe end ofDawn of Justice, Superman died after being exposed to kryptonite and being fatally wounded after that, but he was resurrected in both versions ofJustice League.
Due to a behind-the-scenes shake-up after Zack Snyder had to step down from filming,Justice Leaguehas two versions: the one completed by Joss Whedon and Snyder’s cut.
The DCEU has its own version of Superman, played by David Corenswet, so Cavill’s time as Superman is officially over.
After that, Cavill’s version of Superman had cameo appearances inShazam!,Black Adam, andThe Flash, but his story wasn’t completed. As mentioned above, the DCEU went through a reboot with the DC Universe, which now has its own version of Superman, played by David Corenswet, so Cavill’s time as Superman is officially over.Unfortunately, the same story was repeated withThe Witcher. Cavill played Geralt of Rivia since the first season ofThe Witcher, but he surprised everyone whenhe revealed season 3 was his final season as Geralt.
AsThe Witcherhad already been renewed for a fourth season, Liam Hemsworth was cast as Cavill’s replacement. However,The Witcherseason 3 didn’t really do anything to close Cavill’s chapter as Geralt of Rivia, so the show did the same as the DCEU with Superman and left Cavill’s Geralt story incomplete.
Henry Cavill’s Highlander Needs A Proper Conclusion (Even If A Sequel Happens)
Highlander Can’t Repeat A Henry Cavill Career Trend
Of course, the end of his time as Superman and Geralt of Rivia doesn’t mark the end of Henry Cavill’s career. At the time of writing, he has the action adventureIn the Greycoming up in 2025, and he already found his replacement for Superman and Geralt inHighlander. Cavill’s involvement in aHighlanderreboot was announced in 2021, but it wasn’t until two years later that Lionsgate confirmed the project is moving forward with Cavill starring as Connor MacLeod and with Chad Stahelski as director.
Highlanderhas to avoid the big problem with Cavill’s Superman and Geralt of Rivia and give its character a proper conclusion, even if it gets a sequel.Highlanderis a franchise, so there’s a chance Cavill’s reboot could get a sequel if it does well with critics and general audiences, but as its future is uncertain,it needs to make sure that the story of Cavill’s MacLeod isn’t left hanging.
The Original Highlander Proves The Reboot Can’t Depend On A Sequel
Highlander Doesn’t Have A Good Track Record With Sequels
Highlander II: The Quickeningwas released in 1991, and it was a massive failure, so much so that it’s now regarded as one of the worst movies ever made.
TheHighlanderrebootfaces a challenge due to its bad track record with sequels.Highlanderbecame a cult film, but the sequel’s reputation is the complete opposite.Highlander II: The Quickeningwas released in 1991, and it was a massive failure, so much so that it’s now regarded as one of the worst movies ever made, and the third movie completely ignored its events, serving as a sequel to the first movie.
Ending Cavill’sHighlanderwith a big tease that sets up a sequel wouldn’t be the wisest idea, even if the first movie is good and the production team behind it is quite promising.Highlandersimply can’t rely on a sequel due to its terrible track record, so it’s yet another reason for it to giveHenry Cavill’s MacLeod a complete story and do what Superman and Geralt couldn’t in that regard.
