Zack Snyder Shares Rare Photos of Henry Cavill in Christopher Reeve’s Superman Suit

Zack Snyder surprised fans over Christmas by sharing never-before-seen photos of Henry Cavill wearing Christopher Reeve’s original Superman suit. The images came from the moment Snyder was pitching Cavill to Warner Bros. as the next Clark Kent when launching his new DC Universe with Man of Steel.

“Henry Cavill. The original Superman suit. This photo. It was undeniable,” Snyder wrote, explaining that once executives saw the images, everyone agreed Cavill was Superman. That decision kicked off a journey that defined Snyder’s DC era.

Cavill went on to play the Man of Steel in three films: Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League. After that, his future as Superman became uncertain, with years passing and fans left wondering if he would ever return.

In 2022, Cavill shocked audiences by appearing in the post-credits scene of Black Adam. The cameo came alongside reports that a new standalone Superman film starring Cavill was in development, and it teased a possible showdown between Superman and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam.

“I am back as Superman,” Cavill wrote on Instagram at the time, thanking fans for their patience and promising it would be worth it. He later doubled down on that excitement during a live taping of the Happy Sad Confused podcast in New York, saying he was eager to tell a hopeful, joyful Superman story.

That return, however, was short-lived. Just days later, news broke that James Gunn and Peter Safran were taking over DC Studios and rebooting the franchise. Gunn had always planned to start fresh with Superman, which meant Cavill’s version was no longer part of the future.

Gunn later called the situation “unfair” to Cavill, explaining that the timing created confusion and disappointment. He said that he and Safran met with Cavill directly, praising him for handling the news with grace and only asking to share the decision himself.

Despite the shake-up, there was no bad blood between Gunn and Snyder. Gunn revealed that the two stayed in touch and even discussed design choices for the new Superman suit, including the long-debated red trunks. Snyder admitted he tried many versions with trunks but could never make them work, while Gunn said he liked the idea in theory because it reminded him of the Superman he grew up with.

Gunn’s new DC Universe officially began this summer with Superman, starring David Corenswet. The franchise continues with Supergirl in 2026, followed by a sequel titled Man of Tomorrow.

For fans, Snyder’s newly shared photos are a powerful reminder of a turning point in DC history — the moment Henry Cavill first truly became Superman.