SUMMARY

  •  Henry Cavill underwent a major physical transformation to play Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, enlisting the help of a renowned trainer and adding bulk to his already-muscular appearance.
  •  Cavill’s transformation into Superman developed gradually, as seen in prior projects including The Tudors, Blood Creek and Immortals.
  •  Despite no longer playing Superman, Cavill has retained his muscular physique and continues to take on action-heavy roles in movies and TV shows like Mission: Impossible – Fallout and The Witcher.

Prior to appearing as Clark Kent, a.k.a. Superman, in 2013’s Man of Steel, actor Henry Cavill undertook a major transformation into DC’s most iconic superhero. Long before the DCEU’s reboot into the new Dc Universe, Henry Cavill’s casting as Superman was announced in January 2011, prior to Man of Steel’s 2013 release. After a previous run of small roles and missing out on major characters such as Superman in Superman Returns, Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter franchise, Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise and James Bond in Casino Royale, Man of Steel was a major career boost for Cavill, but this also marked a boost for him physically.

British actor Henry Cavill portrayed Clark Kent’s Superman in three major DCEU projects, including Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League, before he was relegated to being seen only in cameos. Warner Bros. was met with major criticism over its handling of Cavill’s Superman, and the final nail in the coffin came after a direct sequel to Man of Steel was canceled  for good and Cavill was dropped from the role during DC Studios’ 2022 reshuffle. Despite no longer playing Superman, Henry Cavill has retained his muscular physique while performing in more recognizable roles since, but his initial transformation into Superman is still impressive.