Summary
The road as Superman was not always easy for Cavill, and now that he is taking part in a new reboot action series,Highlander, he may finally get the smooth and successful film series he has always deserved. In 2013, English actor Henry Cavill made a splash when he portrayed Clark Kent aka Superman inMan of Steel,kickstarting a rather long tenure as the iconic superhero. AHighlanderreboot has been in the works for many years now, though it was finally confirmed in 2021, alongsideHenry Cavill’s casting as Connor MacLeod.Highlanderwill likely be released in 2026.
While theHighlanderreboot movieis quite exciting on its own, the inclusion of Henry Cavill and the knowledge of his past franchises makes the project even better. Although Superman was one of Cavill’s most iconic roles, which he held onto for nearly ten years, it has long been tainted with controversy and unease. Most recently, this can be attributed to James Gunn unexpectedly replacing Cavill in his new DCU. However, smaller issues also arose, includingCavill’s CGI mustacheand his lack of strong material. Overall, hopes are high thatHighlandercan make up for where DC went wrong.
Henry Cavill’s Witcher & Superman Replacement Already Avoided The Mistake That Killed The Original Franchise
Henry Cavill is leading the reboot of a fantasy franchise, which, thanks to its creative director, is already avoiding its past mistakes.
Henry Cavill’s Highlander Has A Lot Less Pressure Than His Superman Reboot
Superman comes with high expectations
One big reason why theHighlanderreboot can potentially fixSuperman’smovie mistakesis becausethestakes for the franchises are much different. When Cavill took on the role of Clark Kent, he was following in the footsteps of countless other actors who had either triumphed or failed as the Man of Steel.There wasa legacy that Cavill needed to uphold, and expectations to be met. On top of that, fans often want to see something new in a reboot.
Therefore, Cavill had to ace the aspects of Superman that audiences love while also bringing his own flair.
On the other hand,Highlanderdoes not have this type of strict standard. Although there are certainly hordes of fans who love theHighlanderfranchise,there arenot as many iterations of the MacLeod character to live up to, and truthfully, there have been more failures than successes within the franchise. In this way, the expectations Cavill has to meet are not impossible. If Cavill simply breathes life into a character that has been stagnant for a while, he can be considered a success. If he changes things, and it works for the better, backlash will likely be minimal.
Highlander Should Be Easier To Get Right Than Superman
Highlander is more straightforward
Along with less pressure and fewer expectations,Highlanderis also much easier to get right. To be fair, theHighlandersequels did not necessarily stick the landing, but they are playing on a different ball field altogether thanSupermanis.Supermancomes with immense lore and backstory, and it’s DC’s job to pick and choose the best storylines, and the best ways forward for the on-screen character. Unfortunately, their choices may not always be respected, as shown by the controversy of Zack Snyder’sSuperman.It isthe fans' opinions that can easily tear a movie- or an actor- down.
Zack Snyder’s Superman movies earned disappointing scores on Rotten Tomatoes, including 56% for Man of Steel, 29% for Batman V Superman, and 40% for Justice League.
Once again,Highlanderdoes not suffer from this, or at least not on the same scale. There are certainly ways in which theHighlanderreboot could fail, in the same way that the sequel,Highlander II: The Quickeningdid. However, the risks are not nearly as great.Audiences will likely not be putting theHighlanderreboot under a microscope, casting their own differing opinions on how Connor MacLeod should be. On the contrary, it is more likely thatthey will just be happy to see this beloved story return to the big screen with a respected actor in the lead.
Superman Proves Henry Cavill Can Be Great In Highlander
Cavill has shown his action-hero status
Despite the obstacles Henry Cavill faced as part of the DCEU, playingSuperman is more of a help to his upcoming role as Connor MacLeodthan a burden. For the most part, the issues and backlashSupermanfaced had little to do with Cavill’s performance and more with what DC was giving him for material. For the most part, Cavill nailed playing Clark Kent.Heproved that he could lead a big-name franchise, and more than that, he could take a long-running, beloved character and continue building on him, making him dynamic and interesting rather than just a figurehead.
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Cavill doesn’t only haveSupermanbacking him up either.Hisiconic role as Geralt of Rivia in Netflix’sThe Witcheris also a significant show of Cavill’s skills as an actorand action hero. In fact, it is even more similar toHighlanderthanSupermanis.The Witchershows off Cavill’sswordsmanship, commitment to character, and ability to remain accurate to a beloved text. Overall, Henry Cavill is not only capable of playing the altruistic, clean-cut Superman or the rough-around-the-edges, morally ambiguous Geralt but also the Scottish warrior, Connor MacLeod.
Henry Cavill’s Highlander Can Be Better For Him Than Superman
Highlander can be the consistent franchise Cavill deserves
Although theSupermanfranchise is what threw Henry Cavill into the ring as a certified action hero,Highlandercan be the franchise Cavill really deserves.Supermanmay be iconic, but it was a rocky road that ended on a rather disappointing note for Cavill.Highlander,on the other hand, can change that. Rather than being a high-pressure, highly-criticized series of films,Highlandercan be an opportunity for Cavill to play, and honor the story the audiences loved so much in 1986. It can be consistent in the waySupermannever was, with Cavill taking this role and keeping it.
David Corenswet is playing Superman in James Gunn’s new DCU.
Overall,Highlanderis sure to be a major turning point for Henry Cavill. After losing Superman and leavingThe Witcher,the actor is a hot commodity in Hollywood. Plus, it is well-known by now thatCavill is dedicated to making his performances accurate, and this is a huge selling point for fans. At this time, hopes are high thatHighlandercan be the start of a new chapter for Henry Cavill. In an ideal world, Cavill will no longer be overlooked or ignored, and instead, will be allowed to bring life and passion to his characters.
