Losing DCEU and Witcher Won’t Stop Him. We Don’t Deserve Henry Cavill.
This week was looking like the worst week ever for Henry Cavill. The writers and creators behind The Witcher revealed their lack of respect for the source material to the point that one admitted there were writers that actively mocked and hated the source material. Cavill thought he was back as Superman but James Gunn and DCEU decided, meh, we want to do a younger Superman like Smallville or something. Sounds like they’re going the YA/CW route. Sure that’ll turn out great.
An actor in his prime, well-liked, perfect for action movies, and oh yeah…he’s a fucking legit, fully-authentic nerd! He loves this stuff. Yet, he just isn’t the right guy.
Only, it wasn’t his worst week. It might actually turn out to be the great turning point in Cavill’s career. The same week fans were devastated to learn he will not don the cape again, Cavill announced he is part of a live-action Warhammer 40,000 project. The fans of this unique franchise rejoiced. For people who know nothing about Warhammer, we are excited that someone in entertainment is a massive fan of the source material and desperately wants to do something that stays true to it.
It also helps that Cavill is one of the most likable stars around. It is nearly impossible to find Henry Cavill whining or complaining about anything. He does not criticize others even when he likely cares little for them or does not respect them. From everything I’ve read, he is fan friendly, and a pleasure to work with. Here are a few things I’ve heard of him that convinces me, he is indeed destined to become the emperor of the nerds.
When Zack Snyder called him to tell him he’d be the next Superman, he nearly missed the call because he was playing World of Warcraft.
When asked which console he prefers Xbox or Playstation, he replied “PC.”
He builds his own PCs.
He went to the Warhammer museum in UK and it was obvious he loved every minute of it. He paints his own Warhammer figures. He plays the games. He reads the books. He watches all the movies.
Henry Cavill is the ideal creator for those who love seeing our favorite books, comics, and video games brought to life. This is exactly who we envision as the mind behind the movies and TV shows.
It is so rare these days. Instead, Hollywood hires familiar directors and writers, most of which admit they don’t know or care for the source material. They feel like the source is niche, backward, silly, and only for a tiny group of super nerds. It is their genius that is needed to truly bring it to the masses or to a modern audience.
How has that work out?
In interviews, the creators and showrunners sound like the kids in high school who teased, mocked, and even tortured other kids who played Dungeon and Dragons, loved reading fantasy novels, or did cosplay. They may not have been popular themselves but they clearly have the traits of someone who is a bully, arrogant people who think because of their success and popularity, they are better people.
They are the creative geniuses, we are the peasants. If a work fails, its because we just don’t get it.
In a previous generation, we had creators like George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. In our current era, we have Kathleen Kennedy, Rian Johnson, J.J. Abrams, Taika Waititi, Kevin Feige, Jessica Gao, Deborah Chao, Patty Jenkins, Patrick McKay, and J.D. Payne.
We don’t deserve Henry Cavill.
I know nothing about Warhammer. I have no idea if it is something that could convert to live-action TV and succeed or if it has potential for broader appeal. It is impossible to know if Cavill can succeed in a role beyond being an actor. What I do know, is that there has not been a project like this with a devoted fan and all-around great person behind it.
This project could disprove the current prevailing modern audience model. It could also prove that you need passion behind a project, not just big names.
Or it could fail and we learn Henry Cavill perhaps is suited to acting and not much more.
I am eager to find out. All I know is, I am cheering for him.