5 Exciting Henry Cavill Movies To Help You Move On From Superman

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Whoever it is, it isn't Henry Cavill anymore. Like it or not, the comic book movie world has moved so far on from the last Superman, we'll have even seen two Supergirls in the space of two years. We get it. It still hurts that we missed out on his iteration of Kal-El getting his true moment in the sun, but now really is the time to move on. Henry Cavill certainly is. Free of any further mustache scandals or cameos that tease to nothing (that brief "Black Adam" appearance still stings), he can now let loose a bit in his acting roles and maybe even play against the character type he's spent so long with.

We've seen glimpses of it outside the DCEU with his brilliant turns in "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" as well as in "Enola Holmes" as the renowned detective Sherlock. Now the future is looking bright for Cavill, who appears to be not only poking fun at himself in the likes of "Argylle" but potentially reviving franchises that don't come with nearly the same baggage as the superhero he battled with for so long. So worry not, dear Cavill-lytes. He might not be getting back in the red and blue outfit, but there are plenty of other projects on the horizon that, quite frankly, look pretty super, man.

There's no doubt that Henry Cavill's career caught wind underneath the cape of the Last Son of Krypton, but the charm of the Big Blue Scout seemed to stick with him longer than it should. Thankfully, that could be on the verge of vanishing entirely with the help of Guy Ritchie and "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare," which sees Cavill lead a team of military misfits behind enemy lines in WWII to thwart Nazi plans by any means necessary. The trailer arrived on January 30, with Cavill wielding intense facial hair and the cackle of a hero on a suicide mission, the antithesis of how we've seen him these past few years.

In this upcoming action movie, Cavill's character, Gus March-Phillips, appears to be anything but the smooth, suave spy type, and that's precisely why we should be excited about it. With an unorthodox team of heroes at the center of this story, "Ungentlemanly Warfare" looks like it's firing with the same ensemble energy that Ritchie's best work is known for. Bellowing out the familiar fumes of "RocknRolla" or even "The Gentlemen," Cavill, for the first time in a long time, is leading the charge and backed by the likes of Alan Ritchson ("Reacher") and Henry Golding ("The Gentleman").

With Paramount also considering franchise potential after it bought the rights to the book that the film is based on, this could be a new film series for Cavill, as long as Cavill and Ritchie's other project together doesn't keep them too busy.

Keeping Guy Ritchie in his sights beyond "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare," Cavill is also set to join forces on a third partnership with the director, this time joined by one of Ritchie's former stars, "The Covenant"'s Jake Gyllenhaal. Currently without a title, the film wrapped in October 2023 and stars another member of the aforementioned ministry, Eiza González, who might be the mission at the center of this action flick. Cavill and Gyllenhaal star as two extraction specialists (did no one inform Chris Hemsworth?) who must lay out a route for a female negotiator to escape her current danger.

Besides bringing two brilliant stars together for another action-packed project from Ritchie, the film also gives Cavill ample opportunity to return to a territory he thrived in but didn't get enough time with. We don't want to place too big a bet on this, but chances are that the stern-faced, straight-man type he presented in "Mission: Impossible – Fallout" and, to a point, Ritchie's own "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." could gel brilliantly with Gyllenhaal. Cavill's co-star might be portraying the more aloof, laid-back rogue that looks to be present in his new take on "Road House," which could spell success. Whatever character types might appear from both of them in this upcoming entry, it's an entertaining double-act that Cavill could flourish in.

There might be other potential film franchises for Henry Cavill, but only one can come with a legacy like "Highlander." Having hit theaters in 1986, the original "Highlander" follows Connor MacLeod (then played by Christopher Lambert), an immortal who, like many others across centuries, is drawn to deadly combat until only one remains. This cult classic comes with a Queen soundtrack comprising "A Kind of Magic," "Princes of the Universe," and "Who Wants to Live Forever" (all still bangers), and this new version will come with a blade-wielding Henry Cavill and "John Wick" director Chad Stahelski having plans for a trilogy.

Cavill signed up for the project in 2021, likely taking on the role of MacLeod, who in the original is a member of a Scottish Highland clan in 1536 who learns of his immortality and the foes he will be forced to face. There's no doubt there'd be massive potential for "Highlander" as a reinvigorated franchise. With MacLeod being immortal, entire films could be flashbacks set between his original awakening and the present day, dropping him into different moments of human history and cutting his way through it and anyone who crosses him. Currently, Cavill is the only name linked to the project, but that could change, given that filming is expected to start in 2024.

Somehow, it's easier to believe Henry Cavill could fly than imagine him as a college professor unlucky in love. And yet, that's the premise for the romance story heading his way with "The Rosie Project." Based on the novel by Graeme Simsion, the film will see Cavill as Professor Don Tillman, who, after creating a questionnaire to find the woman of his dreams, meets Rosie, a lady who ticks all the wrong boxes. Of course, rom-com history has proven that sometimes opposites attract, and Tillman falls for Rosie regardless.

Just like every classic romance, "The Rosie Project" is a film that has so far never quite seen the guy or girl get together at the right time. Before Cavill signed up for the project in 2021 under the direction of Steve Falk, Richard Linklater had his eye on it in 2015, with Jennifer Lawrence as the titular heartbreaker until she abandoned the film, and Linklater followed. As it stands, Cavill's professor is still without his Rosie, with no schedule in sight either. 

While it might be a while before further development, this still stands as one of Cavill's most intriguing projects, given the change in routine from throwing henchmen across rooms or cutting their heads off if "Highlander" stays on course. Hopefully, once his run with Guy Ritchie clears up, he might have time to embark on "The Rosie Project" and have a Rosie to star opposite as well.

While Henry Cavill's massive movie schedule should be enough to excite fans, something about the epic "Warhammer 40,000" project that he's been linked to since 2022 feels more important than the rest. A self-proclaimed fan of the miniature wargame, Cavill signed onto Amazon Prime's "Warhammer 40,000" adaptation as an executive producer and star a mere day after it was confirmed he wouldn't be back as Superman. In an Instagram post, Cavill admitted, "For 30 years I have dreamt of seeing a Warhammer universe in live action. Now, after 22 years of experience in this industry, I finally feel that I have the skill set and experience to guide a Warhammer Cinematic Universe into life."

Like any good world-building IP nowadays, "Warhammer 40,000" will span film and television, with Cavill overseeing and starring in projects it will include. Currently, his name is the only one on the cast list, but given that Amazon has drawn in some impressive talent for shows like "Fallout," this won't be difficult to fill. For Cavill, after being seemingly dealt a bad hand with the DCEU and departing the "Witcher" series, which he was also a fan of, another opportunity to work on a major passion project will be welcome. For now, he'll have to polish off what is already an exciting collection of other ventures, which we hope he gets through quickly. Here's to marching for the Macragge and showing no fear.