Warner Bros. reportedly attempted to have Transformers director Michael Bay helm a sequel to Man of Steel starring Henry Cavill before the DC Universe underwent its major restructuring and James Gunn began his Superman reboot.

According to TheWrap, executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy worked to assemble a standalone Superman film led by Henry Cavill in 2022, with Michael Bay considered as a potential director. This initiative preceded the appointment of James Gunn and Peter Safran as the new co-heads of DC Studios, which was announced in October of that same year, concurrent with Warner Bros.' alleged effort to bring Cavill back to the role.

Ultimately, those plans did not materialize, paving the way for Gunn and Safran to redefine the DCU. This shift quickly resulted in Cavill’s departure from the Superman franchise in December 2022, a mere two months after the new executives assumed their positions.

Unresolved DCEU Movie Teases

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Since then, the Superman franchise has taken a distinctly different path from the Cavill era. David Corenswet, recognized for his roles in Ti West’s Pearl and Ryan Murphy’s Netflix series Hollywood, will assume the iconic role in James Gunn’s reinterpretation. He will be joined by Rachel Brosnahan of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fame as Lois Lane, with Nicholas Hoult completing the central trio as Lex Luthor. Nevertheless, it's intriguing to envision what Bay and Cavill might have accomplished with another cinematic endeavor.

Both individuals remain highly active in their careers. Cavill is slated for several upcoming projects, including a live-action Voltron film and a Highlander reboot, while Bay recently released a parkour documentary titled We Are Storror. Reports also linked him to the Skibidi Toilet movie—an announcement many wish to forget—though Bay took to social media last month to refute any involvement in directing that particular project.

James Gunn’s Superman is scheduled for release on July 11, 2025.