This article contains spoilers for Black Adam.The groundwork for Man of Steel 2 is finally in the works at DC Films, with Henry Cavill returning as the titular Man of Steel. Warner Bros. launched the DC Extended Universe back in 2013, introducing Henry Cavill as the newest iteration of Superman. The studio's plans for the franchise, and Superman's place in it, have been in a state of constant flux over the last few years. It's largely been a consequence of the behind-the-scenes drama that has plagued DC Films.
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman observed it's been a long time since anyone made the world this nervous. The post-credits scene is best viewed as a promise that Cavill is back, and indeed Man of Steel 2 is finally becoming a reality.
Black Adam's Post-Credits Scene Set Up Man Of Steel 2
Justice League as Superman's journey into becoming the hero viewers know and love, and the post-credits scene surely hints that the DCEU's Superman has now completed that journey. Cavill is now portraying a Superman who is fully-formed.
The logical implication is, of course, that Man of Steel 2 will be a Black Adam versus Superman movie - something Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson has been vocal in pushing for. There's a degree of irony in the Superman sequel being another versus match, albeit this time against another powerhouse rather than against Batman. Meanwhile, in the past other of Man of Steel's ing cast have indicated they'd be willing to return as well, so it's possible Amy Adams and Laurence Fishburne could reprise their roles as Lois Lane and Perry White, respectively.
Why Man Of Steel 2 Didn't Happen Years Ago
Man of Steel director Zack Snyder had originally planned a sequel focused entirely on Superman and his ing characters. He seems to have intended to make a Superman trilogy that followed in the footsteps of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, perhaps with the end of Man of Steel 2 teasing Bruce Wayne. But Snyder's Man of Steel 2 changed when DC Films decided to turn his first movie into the foundation of their shared universe, and the sequel morphed into Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Little is known of Snyder's original plans for Man of Steel 2, but he has at least confirmed the villain would probably have been the super-intelligent alien Brainiac. "We talked about a Brainiac movie," he told Brobible back in 2021. "I do think that the Kryptonians that are in the Phantom Zone are probably still around. And there was always a possibility for their return. Faora and whoever’s left. That was a thing that was always out there that we talked about as a possible sequel." These ideas do not seem to have been fully fleshed out before the change in direction, indicating that Man of Steel 2's production never gained much momentum previously.
Why Henry Cavill Didn't Return To The DCEU Before Black Adam
Shazam!, but unfortunately he was unavailable for filming; Zachary Levi's stunt-double, Ryan Handley, stepped in to wear Superman's costume in a post-credits scene. There's a great deal of irony in this, given Shazam is traditionally Black Adam's greatest rival; Cavill failed to make a cameo in Shazam!, but wound up in Black Adam instead.
The latest reports suggest DC Films' tortuous internal politics then caused a problem for Cavill's return. According to Black Adam's post-credits scene was only shot in mid-September 2022, a remarkably late addition. Hamada had long had his own vision for Superman, dreaming of expanding the Man of Steel's franchise beyond a single director's influence, and even hoping to introduce a Black Superman in a multi-decades story written by Ta-Nehisi Coates. Hamada's departure presumably means those plans have changed once again.
When Will Man Of Steel 2 Happen?
Momentum is clearly building for Man of Steel 2, although it must be noted the film is in the very earliest stages of development; there is a basic concept, but there isn't even a script yet. Still, Johnson has thrown his weight behind the idea of a versus movie, and Black Adam's post-credits scene clearly teases future appearances by Henry Cavill as Superman. The stylistic changes are clearly deliberate, indicating Warner Bros. has an idea of what the DCEU's Superman should be like; that's a promising sign, indicating there has indeed been some thought of where Cavill's Superman would fit into the ever-changing shared universe.
It's far too early to pencil in a release date at this time; a lot can happen to a film when it's in such an early stage of development. That's especially true in the DCEU, a franchise where films have often wound up in Development Hell for years. Hopefully, Johnson's continuing encouragement helps make Man of Steel 2 a reality sooner rather than later.
