Henry Cavill will not be returning as Superman, and we are all as heartbroken as you. James Gunn announced late Wednesday night that Cavill would not be playing Superman in DC Studios’ upcoming Superman project.

This news adds to what’s becoming a long string of drastic changes Gunn is making to the DCU. Naturally, Cavill’s fans reacted harshly to the cancelation. Thankfully, Cavill will remain part of the DC universe by playing a different role. But if the perfect man to play Superman won’t be Superman any longer, then who will Cavill play in the DCU?

Despite Cavill’s exciting cameo at the end of Black Adam, it seems that James Gunn and Peter Safran have different plans for him as they pilot the DCU in a new direction. Gunn’s new script for the upcoming Superman feature will look at an earlier time in the hero’s life, so Cavill will have to take on a different role.

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There are plenty of characters suiting the actor’s skill and sensibilities, but it may be difficult to satisfy Cavill’s fans if the studio doesn’t give him a part worthy of his talent. Here are a few characters we think Henry Cavill might play in the DCU.

Cavill Could Be Jor El

     Warner Bros. Pictures

If Cavill won’t be playing Superman, then how about Superman’s father? In the lifespan of the man from Krypton, Superman crashed in his spaceship on a small farm in Kansas. Though he was raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent, the spaceship contained a projection of his father as well as some information on his home planet. It’s how Clark Kent eventually learned that his real name was Kal El and that he came from a world far away.

It isn’t the biggest role, but if anyone were to guide a new Superman on his journey, perhaps it should be the old Superman. A role like Jor El would be a decent fit for Cavill. He would still appear strong, wise, and just, but unfortunately, he would only appear on-screen as a recording. It’s likely he wouldn’t have any significant emotional impact on the movie either.

The Actor Could Play General Zod

     Warner Bros.

Zod is Superman’s greatest foil. He is, in all ways, a version of Superman that has no empathy for Earth or its people. He is the perfect villain to begin Superman’s journey because it puts him through the test of what his adoptive life really means to him. It poses the question to Clark Kent of whether his biology is more important than his identity and if he’s really willing to become Earth’s protector.

Perhaps this would be a good fit for Cavill, given that it would just be making him another Superman dressed in black. But the role would turn Cavill into a villain, which his fan base might not like. Cavill’s off-screen persona is one that people often look up to as much as the heroes he plays. Seeing him turn from superhero to supervillain could be a bit jarring for audiences.

Maybe He Takes On Green Lantern

     DC Comics

To be honest, we’re surprised that a ring hasn’t chosen Cavill in real life. To be a Green Lantern would line up very well with the types of roles Cavill has taken in the past, and it’s likely the one other spot on the Justice League that he would be the most suited for. But if he were a Green Lantern, the question then becomes, which one?

Green Lantern fans have been calling out for a reboot with John Stewart, but if Cavill were to get the role, we’d have to see another hero. Hal Jordan was a bit of a risk-taker and typically serves as the archetypal Green Lantern. Cavill’s Superman style might fit him nicely.

He would also make a good Guy Gardner if the audience would be able to stomach seeing a Cavill with red hair. But, the one hero that Cavill might be perfect for is the ultra-powerful Kyle Rayner. Often known as the most creative Green Lantern, Rayner was known for being chosen by all the emotional rings and eventually became the strongest Lantern in the galaxy.

Cavill Could Take Over as Batman

A Henry Cavill Batman is a tempting thought. A lot of fans are talking about this casting because the news of him being ousted as Superman came right on the heels of Ben Affleck being asked to take a more managerial role in the DCU. If James Gunn is asking Affleck to direct, then who might dawn the cowl other than Cavill. This is assuming, of course, that DC goes ahead with a rather odd plan of continuity to give Matt Reeves his own Bat-Verse.

In truth, Cavill might make the perfect Batman going forward. His Bruce Wayne might be reminiscent of his performance as Sherlock in Enola Holmes 2 and his Batman might fall closer to his time as a Witcher. Cavill might use both of these performances to inform the two sides of the character.

But, could he truly understand the darkness that lives inside the Batman? James Gunn says he’ll be ready to announce more of his plans for the DCU starting in the new year. So for now, we’ll have to wait to see what befalls everyone’s beloved Superman.