Warning: This article contains spoilers for Black Adam.Henry Cavill has returned as Superman in the Justice League. All that has, thankfully, changed.
Henry Cavill returns in the Black Adam post-credits scene, swooping down out of the skies to confront DC's newest antihero. He's been given a brighter version of his Man of Steel costume, and he was accompanied by the John Williams theme tune rather than Hans Zimmer's. Snyder's earlier films had stressed that his version of Superman was on a journey to becoming the superhero audiences know and love, and these choices seem designed to assure viewers that journey is now complete. The post-credits scene is undoubtedly a promise that Henry Cavill's Superman is returning as a power player in the DCEU.
Black Adam's Post-Credits Scene Sets Up Man Of Steel 2
DC's initial focus is on Man of Steel 2 is finally in development, with Warner Bros. actively seeking both writers and a director. Black Adam's post-credits scene clearly seems to hint this will be a Black Adam vs. Superman film, fulfilling Dwayne Johnson's hopes. There is, of course, a degree of irony to the fact Superman will again be appearing in a versus movie, although this time he'll be taking on another physical powerhouse, and his opponent likely won't be resorting to Kryptonite. It is worth noting that Superman is traditionally vulnerable to magic in the comics, so Black Adam will likely have the advantage in this particular fight.
Man of Steel 2 is still only in the earliest stages of development, which is why it doesn't feature in the official DC Films release slate. Henry Cavill's Superman, but there's no word yet on any ing cast, such as Amy Adams' Lois Lane and Laurence Fishburne's Perry White. Still, the actors have expressed willingness to reprise their roles in the past, so hopefully they'll be returning for the sequel.
Superman's Black Adam Conflict Is Planned As A Long-Form Storyline
DC Films has developed a reputation for rushing things, but there's some evidence the studio is finally beginning to learn its lesson. According to longer arc involving Superman and Black Adam, rather than simply a hurried fight.
The comment from Garcia is an important one, because it suggests he envisions a story that weaves through multiple films in which the two characters find themselves having to negotiate existing in the same universe. "Fans want to feel a journey between these guys knowing that these guys exist in the same universe," he added, implying that the dynamic will change and evolve as the story continues. The vision is essentially of Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam as a recurring presence in Superman's world, and Henry Cavill's Superman in Black Adam's. It's an interesting evolution of the shared universe model.
Superman Could Appear In Other Post-Credits Scenes
There's naturally speculation about whether Cavill's Superman could appear in other DCEU films, such as Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. DC Films would be wise to avoid over-depending on any one actor, so they will hopefully avoid over-exposing Cavill.
Henry Cavill's Superman Is Surely A Step Towards Justice League 2
Justice League became a controversial failure, leading DC Films to move away from the idea of a closely-connected shared universe. Henry Cavill's return, and talk of an overarching plan for Superman and Black Adam signified a major course-correction back towards that concept. Dwayne Johnson has been openly speaking of Black Adam as the beginning of a new phase for the DCEU, deliberately borrowing a term from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and thus subtly encouraging viewers to begin looking towards the endgame.
The ultimate endgame is logically Justice League 2 would therefore be a soft reboot, an attempt to begin that particular massive franchise again and try to make it a success this time. Presumably, both Henry Cavill's Superman and Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam will be part of this second Justice League, and it's interesting to note DC Comics has brought Black Adam into the Justice League ahead of his big-screen debut - presumably helping to establish a stronger tie between the antihero of Black Adam and the rest of the Justice League. This idea seems to hint that the long-form story of Black Adam and Superman will end, as all superhero versus matches do, in the pair becoming allies.
