The Untold Story of Man of Steel 2: Brainiac, Black Adam, and the Rebirth of Superman

TLDRHenry Cavill almost returned for Man of Steel 2, which would have featured Brainiac as the main villain. However, the planned sequel was constantly delayed and eventually scrapped. There were also discussions of a Black Adam vs Superman showdown. Warner Brothers considered rebooting the Superman franchise and James Gunn took over as the head of DC, prioritizing a fresh start and a younger Superman.

Key insights

🦸‍♂️Henry Cavill expressed his desire to do a direct sequel to Man of Steel.

🎥Plans were made to integrate the DC Universe with standalone films for each hero, similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

🦇Zack Snyder suggested including Batman in Man of Steel 2 as an interesting contrast to Superman.

🦹‍♂️Brainiac was intended to be the main villain in Man of Steel 2, with Lex Luthor playing a role in his origin.

🔃Various pitches and treatments were submitted for Man of Steel 2, including one set on Krypton thousands of years ago.

Q&A

Why was Man of Steel 2 delayed and eventually scrapped?

—Warner Brothers wanted to catch up to Marvel and rushed out a Justice League film. Man of Steel 2 constantly got pushed aside in favor of other DC properties.

Who were some of the directors considered for Man of Steel 2?

—Christopher McQuarrie and Matthew Vaughn were among the directors considered for the sequel.

Why did James Gunn choose to reboot the Suicide Squad instead of directing Man of Steel 2?

—James Gunn felt that pairing up Superman and Batman right after Man of Steel would not work well and believed there was room for a proper Superman film.

Was Henry Cavill set to reprise his role as Superman in future DC films?

—Henry Cavill's return as Superman was uncertain, and contract negotiations between him and Warner Brothers broke down.

What is the current status of the Superman franchise?

—James Gunn plans to reboot the Superman franchise with a younger actor and a fresh start for the character in the DC Universe.

Timestamped Summary

00:00Henry Cavill expressed his desire to do a direct sequel to Man of Steel.

03:32Brainiac was intended to be the main villain in Man of Steel 2, with Lex Luthor playing a role in his origin.

05:32Various pitches and treatments were submitted for Man of Steel 2, including one set on Krypton thousands of years ago.

08:39Man of Steel 2 was delayed and eventually scrapped as Warner Brothers wanted to catch up to Marvel and rushed out a Justice League film.

10:58James Gunn plans to reboot the Superman franchise with a younger actor and a fresh start for the character in the DC Universe.

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