Matthew Vaughn Wants Henry Cavill In The Best Superman Story

Vaughn recently revealed his admiration for Superman: Red Son, labeling it as one of the cleverest comics he has ever read and a DC movie he’d love to direct. The alternate universe narrative, penned by Mark Millar in 2003, reimagines Superman’s origin story, posing the question of what would have happened if the Man of Steel had been raised in the Soviet Union instead of Smallville, Kansas. “Could you imagine remaking Red Son with Henry Cavill? That would be an interesting movie,” Vaughn said.

In Red Son, Superman’s rocket ship lands on a Ukrainian collective farm, setting the stage for a compelling exploration of a world where the iconic superhero becomes a symbol of Soviet ideals rather than American values. Henry Cavill himself has expressed interest in exploring such Elseworlds tales, recognizing their potential to offer fresh perspectives on the timeless character.

“I think the offbeat stories are great,” Henry Cavill told EW in a previous interview. The actor described how he read Red Son before doing Man of Steel to make sure he had a solid understanding of Superman as a character. “Despite the fact that it’s offbeat and he’s grown up in a completely different environment, the character is still, at its very core, the same thing.”

While we’re all excited to see what James Gunn and Peter Safran come up with for the DCU, it was a disappointing blow to learn that Henry Cavill and other Snyderverse actors wouldn’t be returning to their beloved characters. But with the development of Elseworlds stories, there is now an opportunity for fans to see the best of both worlds. Vaughn’s enthusiasm for a Red Son adaptation mirrors fans’ eagerness to see deep and complex Elseworlds narratives. 

While Henry Cavill’s run as Superman was a bit lackluster thanks to the growing pains DC was going through as Snyder was developing the universe, there’s no doubt that Cavill portrayed one of the best versions of Superman Hollywood has seen. The prospect of seeing Cavill don the cape once more to portray Superman in Red Son, a distinctly different setting than anything we’ve seen before, is a thrilling thought.

Meanwhile, a fast-paced action flick with over-the-top but well-done kinetic energy is exactly what DC needs to bring some life back into its movies. Matthew Vaughn’s directing style is an energetic blast that still manages to tell a compelling story. And, considering that Vaughn has already worked with Henry Cavill in Argylle, we know the pair could make a movie like Red Son one of the best superhero movies we’ve seen so far.

As the DCEU continues to embrace more diverse storytelling approaches, the possibility of a Superman: Red Son movie offers an intriguing glimpse into uncharted territory. While it’s uncertain if this movie will ever come to fruition, the prospect of witnessing Henry Cavill’s Superman navigate the complexities of a Soviet-inspired world promises a cinematic experience unlike any other.