Zack Snyder Shares First Photo Ever Taken of Henry Cavill as Superman
Man of Steel director Zack Snyder is once again digging into the DCEU archives and fans are loving it. The filmmaker recently shared a few previously unseen early photo of Henry Cavill suited up as Superman. One of them includes the first photo ever taken of Cavill wearing Christopher Reeve’s Superman suit.
The actor wore Reeve’s suit for the Man of Steel screen-testing, and Cavill’s wearing the suit helped convince Snyder and the executives that he was the best choice for the role.
Snyder captioned the post: “15 years ago, on this day, I pressed the shutter and met Superman. The first photo I ever took of Henry Cavill — moments before he stepped into legend. Shot on my Nikon.”
Since joining Instagram last year, Snyder has been steadily posting rare images from his time working within the DC Extended Universe. These photos have ranged from behind-the-scenes moments to alternate looks that never made it into the final films.
Another image shows Cavill wearing the iconic suit with a slightly different hairstyle, which strongly suggests it was captured before filming officially got underway. Along with the photo, Snyder praised Cavill’s take on Kal-El, describing the actor’s version of Superman as “literally hope personified.”
That idea was central to Man of Steel, which established that the “S” emblem on Superman’s chest translates to “Hope” on Krypton.
While that theme was clearly spelled out in the movie, the darker tone of the DCEU’s Superman has remained a point of debate among fans. Some embraced the grounded and conflicted approach, while others felt the character drifted too far from the traditional, optimistic hero they grew up with.
Snyder also shared another image of Cavill, this time as Clark Kent before fully stepping into the role of Superman. He captioned that post with, “Everyone’s gotta get a job — even Superman. Before saving the world, Clark Kent was waiting tables.”
That aspect of Clark’s journey also divided audiences, especially the decision to portray him as someone who stayed hidden well into adulthood. For many viewers, it underscored the emotional weight of Jonathan Kent’s death and the consequences of Clark choosing not to reveal himself sooner.
Even now, Man of Steel remains one of the most hotly debated entries in the DCEU. The massive destruction of Metropolis, the lack of visible civilian rescues during the final battle, and Superman’s choice to kill General Zod are still frequently discussed and argued over online. Despite that, the movie has a loyal fanbase that continues to defend Snyder’s interpretation.
Unfortunatley, Snyder never got to complete his story arc for Superman.