Soon, David Corenswet’s Superman will debut in 2025, adding another Man of Steel to DC’s live-action history. Before that happened, Tyler Hoechlin’s time as the hero had to come to an end. Corenswet will be the only live-action Superman going forward, with Henry Cavill being replaced in the movies and Hoechlin’s Superman & Lois ending after four seasons. As the two latest live-action versions of Superman, fans have compared Hoechlin and Cavill for the past few years. After the Superman & Lois series finale, I think Hoechlin has proved himself the better Superman due to key factors.
Henry Cavill Never Got His Due As Superman
The DCEU’s Issues Affected His Superman Tenure
I expected more from Henry Cavill’s Superman than what we got, but I don’t blame the actor for the character’s shortcomings. The DCEU faced several issues over the years, going from story decisions not being the best to complicated behind-the-scenes dynamics, power shifts, and more. All of those factors contributed to Superman’s story being rushed and overtly dark. Cavill’s Superman debuted in Man of Steel, where he killed Zod at the end of the movie, then he fought Batman and died in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice before coming back to life near the end of Justice League.
I don’t like how Cavill’s Superman was mostly part of darker stories than the hero normally is, which was by design, as Zack Snyder planned to get to the hopeful Superman by the end of his arc. However, that would never happen, and I’m frustrated that Cavill’s Superman barely appeared in the DCEU. The hero went missing for years, with fans not knowing if Cavill would ever return. When that did happen through Henry Cavill’s Superman cameo in Black Adam‘s post-credits scenes, hopes of the reported in-development Man of Steel 2 were dashed by the DCU and Cavill being recast.
Tyler Hoechlin Balanced Both Sides Of The DC Hero Better
The Actor Might Be The Best Superman Since Christopher Reeve
Speaking only about the appearances that we did get of Cavill and Hoechlin’s versions of Superman, I’m convinced that the Superman & Lois star brought a more faithful version of the Man of Steel to live-action. Hoechlin’s Superman was powerful, but that was not the main selling point of his character, different from Cavill’s, whose Superman was basically used as a weapon in Justice League. Hoechlin’s Superman looked out for everyone, was a determined, hopeful hero, and his appearances served to make those around him better. That extended to heroes, regular people, and even some villains.
One of the most important parts of Superman is that the hero has two sides, and Superman & Lois did far better with Clark Kent when compared to the DCEU. Tyler Hoechlin’s Clark was an even bigger part of the DC series than his superhero counterpart. The show focused on the powerful hero’s humanity, with Hoechlin displaying Clark Kent’s signature charm, delivering a fun, optimistic, and lovable version of the character. I will say that there were flashes of the classic Clark in Cavill’s portrayal, particularly in Man of Steel, but the DCEU never fully went in that direction.
Superman & Lois Ultimately Did A Key DC Comics Story Better Than The DCEU
The DC Series Had A More Emotional Development
Finally, what cements Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman as better than Henry Cavill’s for me is how both versions of the character adapted one of the Man of Steel’s most iconic DC Comics stories, with Superman & Lois easily outdoing the DCEU’s efforts. The story in question is “The Death of Superman.” In the movies, Cavill’s Man of Steel would debut, die, and be resurrected in three films, with a small role in the first live-action Justice League movie, which was an awful decision. The story was rushed, taking away from the impact of Superman’s death.
Superman & Lois season 4 also killed its version of the hero. However, Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman had four seasons of buildup — and even more when counting his Arrowverse appearances — to his death. Superman stayed dead for a few episodes, and when he did come back to life, the hero was not the same. Clark Kent received General Sam Lane’s heart, which was not compatible with his Kryptonian body, so he slowly lost his powers and died 32 years later. There were lasting consequences in Superman & Lois‘ story with emotional moments, cementing Hoechlin as better than Cavill to me.
