Zack Snyder Reveals a Never-Before-Seen Superman Costume Test From MAN OF STEEL
Zack Snyder is continuing his walk down DC memory lane, and this time he’s pulled out something especially cool. The director has shared a previously unseen image from the early days of Man of Steel, revealing Henry Cavill suited up during one of his initial Superman costume tests.
When Warner Bros. tapped Snyder to reboot Superman, it seemed like a great direction or the franchise. After redefining stylized comic book adaptations with 300 and Watchmen, he was handed the keys to one of the most iconic superheroes of all time.
Man of Steel landed in theaters in 2013 and immediately sparked passionate discussion. Some fans embraced its grounded, intense approach, while others pushed back hard on several story choices.
Much of that debate still circles around the film’s most controversial moments. The massive destruction of Metropolis, Superman’s inability to save civilians during the final battle, the death of Jonathan Kent, and Clark Kent’s decision to kill General Zod all remain hot topics more than a decade later. Love it or hate it, the movie left a lasting impression on superhero cinema.
Cavill returned as Clark Kent in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League. Snyder had even mapped out a larger arc across a planned Justice League trilogy that would have taken Superman down a much darker path.
That story reportedly involved Darkseid, mind control, redemption, and a future where Lois Lane’s son, fathered by Batman, played a key role. Those plans never made it to the screen.
Cavill did briefly suit up again for a post-credits appearance in Black Adam. He also filmed a cameo for The Flash, though it was ultimately cut once DC Studios formed and the decision was made to move forward with a new Superman under James Gunn.
In the meantime, Snyder has been sharing a steady stream of behind-the-scenes images from his DC days on Instagram. Most have been familiar set photos, but this newly revealed costume test is pretty cool.
The suit looks very close to what ended up onscreen, yet seeing Cavill in this early stage offers a rare glimpse into the process that turned him into Kal-El.
The conversation around Man of Steel also came up recently during an interview with Michael Shannon, who played General Zod. Reflecting on the infamous killing scene, he said:
"Oh, gosh, I just wish people didn't kill people. Period. I mean, whether or not they're aliens from outer space, or just regular joes. I guess one of the controversies with this film—and Zack [Snyder] engineered this, really—is that Superman is not supposed to kill anybody."
He continued, "So, I put him in a situation where, if he wants to save these people, he has to kill me, and he does. And that obviously led to a lot of sturm un drang, or whatever you say."
Whether you’re a longtime defender of Snyder’s Superman or someone who still wrestles with its choices, seeing photos like this are still fun for the fans.