Henry Cavill’s tenure as Superman is one of the most disappointing and frustrating times for DC fans as the prospect of him returning to the role as the iconic superhero was snatched from them time and again. Technically, the actor has only had a full-fledged portrayal once in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and has only been a part of an ensemble or a cameo.

However, despite all the love he gets as Superman, a role that he has since departed from and replaced in the new James Gunn’s DCU, there is another DC actor who has been done dirty by the franchise. Many fans are now appreciating Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Batman as one of the most wasted opportunities by a franchise to build something incredible.

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At one point, it seemed like Henry Cavill was plagued by the Superman curse. While there has been an urban legend of actors playing Superman on-screen having a deadly curse on them, Cavill’s curse played out differently. According to MTV News, the actor was initially supposed to play Clark Kent in director McG’s iteration of a Superman film which was commissioned by WB.

However, the film fell through and Cavill lost out on the role after Bryan Singer took over directing duties and cast Brandon Routh instead. However, Henry Cavill got another shot at the role when he was cast by Zack Snyder for Man of Steel, which was the first film in what was then known as the DCEU. He would reprise his role in subsequent films.

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Despite his performance initially receiving a lukewarm response, Cavill returned in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. However, by then, mismanagement troubles began to plague the DCEU and there was no clear plan on when Cavill might don the cape again. He had a brief cameo in last year’s Black Adam, which excited fans but it was not meant to be.

Henry Cavill took to Instagram to reveal that he would no longer be a part of the DCU after James Gunn and Peter Saffran took over DC Studios to reboot the franchise. After a meeting with the duo, it was decided that Cavill would no longer return. He said,

“It’s sad news everyone. I will, after all, not be returning as Superman. After being told by the studio to announce my return in October, prior to their hire, this news isn’t the easiest, but that’s life…My turn to wear the cape has passed, but what Superman stands for never will. It’s been a fun ride with you all, onwards and upwards.”

Cavill was replaced by David Corenswet in the upcoming James Gunn directorial Superman: Legacy. The casting was met with backlash from fans who preferred Henry Cavill.

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While fans lament the end of Henry Cavill’s Superman, they also express their newfound appreciation for Ben Affleck’s Batman. Affleck donned the cap and cowl in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which saw an older and more battered Bruce Wayne going against the newly emerged Superman in the neighboring city of Metropolis. 

Affleck’s casting was initially met with backlash as his history as Matt Murdoch in the campy Marvel film Daredevil was embarrassingly bad. However, his performance was accepted by part of the fandom as he did a good job in the polarizing team-up film. He reprised his role in Justice League and even had a cameo appearance in Suicide Squad. 

Ben Affleck was also supposed to direct and star in a trilogy of solo Batman films but he stepped down from the role due to mismanagement issues from WB. The mismanagement issues continued as he was touted to be in films like The Flash and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. While he had a major role in the former, his role was reportedly cut from the latter. 

With the reboot of the DCU, he is no longer a part of the franchise, with one Elseworld branch of the franchise seeing Robert Pattinson as Batman. Fans of the star have now found a new respect for the actor’s portrayal and are calling it one of the biggest wasted opportunities.