Warning: This contains SPOILERS for Black Adam!
Henry Cavill's Superman is back in the Justice League heroes. The DCEU might now be renewing its efforts to restore the Snyderverse with Black Adam.
Dwayne Johnson's long-awaited movie is firmly connected to the main DCEU through cameos from Amanda Waller and Man of Steel 2 and speculation that the Snyderverse is being restored.
Does Henry Cavill's Superman Return Mean The Snyderverse Is Being Restored?
Henry Cavill's Superman return could be viewed as a step in the right direction for the DCEU to restore the Snyderverse. Recasting any of the main characters would be a massive sign that the studios are looking to move beyond Snyder's plans and separate the DCEU's future from the director's original films. Henry Cavill sticking around as the Man of Steel means there is one less hurdle for Warner Bros. when it comes to revitalizing plans for the Snyderverse. However, this is more of a move to maintain the continuity and not further alienate older movies in the franchise.
It is still a bit of a stretch to say that Cavill's Superman return is a sign that the DCEU is restoring Snyder's original plan. Warner Bros. is still very much working with several cast from the Snyderverse. Jason Momoa is working on Black Adam's Superman scene.
Which Version Of Justice League Is Actually DCEU Canon?
Restoring the Snyderverse is a complicated matter for the DCEU, especially since all signs point to Zack Snyder's Justice League not being the version of the movie that is canon. All previous reports have made it clear that Warner Bros. and DC Films view the 2017 theatrically released version of Justice League that Joss Whedon reshot to be canon. This is how previous movies connected to Justice League operated, such as Aquaman building off the movie instead of how the Snyder Cut ended Arthur Curry's story. There is room for this to change, though, as the enforcement of 2017's Justice League being canon came under DC Films' previous leadership.
Now that Walter Hamada is out at DC Films and the DCEU has a new directive under Warner Bros. Discovery, Zack Snyder's Justice League could become canon retroactively. Black Adam's marketing campaign even potentially teased this switch. One of the Black Adam trailers included footage from Joss Whedon's Justice League, but the studio then took it down and removed the footage after fan complaints. Due to Joss Whedon's controversial status and the poor reception to 2017's Justice League, the DCEU canon could change again and side with Snyder's cut. Of course, the studio could also just continue to mostly act like Justice League never happened.
What Else Needs To Happen For The Snyderverse To Be Restored
Even if Zack Snyder's Justice League becomes DCEU canon, that is just the beginning of restoring the Snyderverse. If Warner Bros. Discovery is serious about bringing the Snyderverse back, the first thing they have to do is convince Zack Snyder to return. The director is incredibly busy at Netflix, shepherding the Army of the Dead and Rebel Moon franchises after WB burned him in the past. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zazlav and co-chairmen Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy would need to convince Snyder that his second go around with the DCEU would be very different from before. Bringing Snyder back is the only way the Snyderverse can really be restored.
Once Snyder is back on board, the Justice League 2 and Justice League 3. This would allow him to finish his original five-movie plan built around Superman and the Justice League fighting Darkseid. DC Films would also need to figure out if Ben Affleck's solo Batman project could still happen and if a Cyborg solo movie was still in the cards. The studios would also need to work with Snyder to figure out how DCEU films, including Man of Steel 2, fit the Snyderverse.
Will DC Restore The Snyderverse Eventually?
Henry Cavill's Superman return does make it easier for DC to restore the Snyderverse, but it still does not seem likely that this will happen after Black Adam. WBD has only briefly teased its plans for the future, but one of the clear directives is solidifying DC's 10-year plan. This will include highlighting DC's Trinity and utilizing other popular characters. However, it would be quite strange if the DCEU's new 10-year plan became trying to finish the original one. Black Adam is part of the beginning of a new era for the shared universe. Henry Cavill's Superman return keeps connections to what came before, but it also signals a very different future than the Snyderverse.
Restoring the Snyderverse is not something that should be totally discounted, though. No one thought the Snyder Cut would be released, Ben Affleck would play Batman again after Justice League, or Henry Cavill's Superman return would ever happen. DC is also beginning to step further into the multiverse. Even though the The Batman franchise and Joker getting a sequel show a willingness to make movies separate from it. That could eventually mean restoring the Snyderverse and letting Zack Snyder finish his story without any bigger universe complications.
As mentioned before, restoring the Snyderverse is not something that would happen anytime soon, though. Zack Snyder is too busy to take on two Justice League movies. This would also be a move better saved for when the DCEU is on more solid ground. Restoring the Snyderverse while the DCEU is still charting its course beyond Snyder's stories could be pretty confusing for general audiences. Of course, time is ticking on the Snyderverse being restored when the original cast would still be interested and willing to participate, so there cannot be too long of a wait after Black Adam for the DCEU to pull this off.
