Warner Bros. Reportedly Wanted a Michael Bay Man of Steel Sequel Starring Henry Cavill, Before James Gunn Was Brought in to Reboot Superman

In a surprising behind-the-scenes reveal, Warner Bros. reportedly approached *Transformers* director Michael Bay about helming a *Man of Steel* sequel starring Henry Cavill, prior to the major overhaul of the DC Universe and James Gunn’s upcoming reboot of the Superman franchise.

According to TheWrap, studio executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy were actively working on a plan in 2022 to produce a standalone Superman film led by Henry Cavill—with Michael Bay considered as a potential director. This effort took place before James Gunn and Peter Safran were officially named as the new co-chairs and CEOs of DC Studios, an announcement that came in October of that same year.

Ultimately, those plans didn’t materialize, paving the way for Gunn and Safran to reshape the DC Universe from the ground up. Shortly after their appointment in October 2022, Cavill exited the role of Superman in December—marking the end of his tenure in the DCEU and the beginning of a fresh creative direction under Gunn.

A New Era for Superman

Since then, the Man of Steel has taken a dramatically different path. James Gunn is now steering the reboot with David Corenswet stepping into the iconic cape, best known for his roles in Ti West’s *Pearl* and the Netflix series *Hollywood*. Rachel Brosnahan of *The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel* will portray Lois Lane, while Nicholas Hoult assumes the role of Lex Luthor.

With this bold new cast and vision, it’s natural to wonder what might have been if Michael Bay had directed another Superman outing with Cavill. Would it have offered a dramatic evolution of the character? Or simply served as a final farewell to the DCEU version of Clark Kent?

Cavill and Bay Stay Busy

Despite this unrealized project, both Cavill and Bay remain active in Hollywood. Cavill is set to star in a live-action *Voltron* movie and a reboot of *Highlander*, keeping him firmly in the action-hero spotlight. Meanwhile, Bay recently released a parkour documentary titled *We Are Storror*, and although rumors linked him to the bizarre-sounding *Skibidi Toilet* movie, he publicly denied involvement last month via social media.

James Gunn’s Superman Hits Theaters July 11, 2025

Fans won’t have to wait much longer to see how James Gunn redefines Superman for a new era. His film, starring David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult, is scheduled for release on July 11, 2025, marking the first major chapter in the next iteration of the DC Universe.