Is J.J. Abrams standing the way of a Man of Steel 2?

No matter how hard they try, Warner Bros. can’t seem to figure out how best to handle Superman. While I enjoy Zack Snyder’s take on the character, not everyone agrees that the more tormented side of Supes is what they want to see. As a result, all the films Henry Cavill headlined were either box office disappointments or critically divided. But still, in spite of the issues Superman and the DC Extended Universe have had, fans do seem to agree that Cavill himself is not the problem. Most who hated Man of Steel maintain they’d love to see a more optimistic Superman from Henry Cavill…but will we ever get that?

While Superman was once considered to be one of DC’s most prized characters, their reliance on him in the film department hasn’t exactly paid off. In the current golden age of superhero movies, we now see Warner Bros. turning to lesser-known entities like Shazam, Birds of Prey, and even Aquaman to make big box office bucks. While Superman may be the greater known character, he hasn’t proven to be a cash cow for them. In fact, according to Heroic Hollywood, this is one of two reasons we may not be getting a Man of Steel 2 any time soon.

RELATED – What This Fan Wants From… Superman In The DCEU

“A standalone Superman movie would not be successful at this time,” an insider told the outlet. “Perhaps once there’s more momentum after playing a supporting role in some successful DC films, there would be more of a chance for a standalone film.”

As you may recall, following a collapse in negotiations to return as Superman in Shazam!, it was reported that Henry Cavill was done as the character. Now, more recent reports indicate that Superman remains a priority, and that Henry Cavill will likely be back in a secondary capacity. And you know what? Fans seem to love the idea of Cavill returning. So how can they not take a chance?

Well, there’s another obstacle in their way. Remember how J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot signed a $500 million deal with WarnerMedia to create content? With that deal came a whole host of rumors that he was eyeing the Superman character for himself. While that may seem indicative of us being closer to a Man of Steel sequel, it actually pushes us farther away.

“If your plan is to attract an A-list filmmaker like J.J. Abrams to direct such a property, like Superman,” the insider continued, “they’re going to demand they cast who they want in the title role.”

RELATED – Henry Cavill Not Done Being Superman

And there’s the rub. Warner Bros. clearly wants to use more Superman, but if they want to attract someone like Abrams, they’ll have to make some concessions. Namely, giving him the option to cast his own Superman. Given that they already believe the character is on shaky ground as it is, I can only imagine their desire not to see two film iterations at once. You can get away with it for Batman, but can you with Superman? Add in the fact that we’re going to be getting a Superman on the small screen, and you can understand them not wanting to spread the brand too thin.

How do you feel about J.J. Abrams potentially standing in the way of a Man of Steel 2? Let us know down below!

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SOURCE: Heroic Hollywood