Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman fought Doomsday in Superman & Lois. The question is, whether they copied Henry Cavill’s scene or paid tribute to it.

In the world of entertainment and Hollywood, there is a very thin line that separates fact from fiction, real from reel, and knockoff or a tribute. In Superman & Lois‘s case, it might be both from Henry Cavill’s film.

Tyler Hoechlin in a still from Superman & Lois | Credits: DC Entertainment

The scene in question was featured in the final episode of the iconic CW show Superman & Lois, and fans were very quick to spot the similarities. Whether it is a tribute or a knockoff of Henry Cavill’s entry from Zack Snyder’s Justice League, remains another question.

The Tribute That May Have Been a Knockoff (or Vice Versa)

It was the year 2021 when the world decided to have a mini rebellion and bully Warner Bros. into releasing the Snyder Cut. The film, which was called Zack Snyder’s Justice League, featured Henry Cavill’s Superman wearing a black suit.

Henry Cavill as Superman in a still from Zack Snyder’s Justice League | Credits: DC Studios

Although Snyder’s vision was to have Darkseid as this big bad baddie, for his 2021 film, he let Steppenwolf take the lead (quite literally). However, he isn’t too happy to see Superman in a black suit making a heroic entrance.

That’s why he tries to punch Superman (or rather scratch him with his claws) and the Man of Steel dodges the attack. Well, an almost similar scene was recently shown in Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman & Lois when Doomsday attacks Smallville. The Kryptonian has a claw-like outgrowth that goes very close to Superman’s face.

Although it does look cool, some fans are stating that Tyler Hoechlin’s version copied Henry Cavill’s entry scene from Zack Snyder’s Justice League. However, others are alleging that it is a tribute to the iconic Superman before Hoechlin.

Tribute or not, the scenes do resemble each other quite greatly. It could be just one of the things that Superman goes through in every iteration (like Peter Parker and Uncle Ben). Admittedly, Henry Cavill’s Superman does look way cooler in that still from Zack Snyder’s Justice League. However, if it weren’t for Russell Crowe, the world might not have gotten Cavill’s Superman!

Henry Cavill & Russell Crowe Had Met Before

Before the duo worked together in the 2013 film Man of Steel, veteran actor Russell Crowe had met Henry Cavill back in the early 2000s when Cavill was not famous.

Russell Crowe as Jor-EL in Man of Steel | Credits: DC Studios

Although Cavill remembered the incident quite vividly, Crowe had to remember some things since Cavill was only a kid when he met the Gladiator star and asked him about acting.

Sitting on The Graham Norton Show, the actor recalled his initial meeting with Henry Cavill and how the actor was overjoyed when Crowe remembered it on the set of Man of Steel.

He got this little smile in his eyes and went, ‘Do you remember going to Stowe school.’ I was like, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘Do you remember a kid that came and talked to you about acting… that’s me.’

Cavill took the opportunity and said,

He said, ‘Well you said they pay you pretty well but they treat you like sh*t’

Well, Cavill became an actor and, as fate would have it, starred alongside Crowe in the 2013 film Man of Steel. Although the film received some controversy from the audience and the cast alike, Cavill found his fair share of spotlight for the iconic role.

On the other hand, Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman & Lois recently aired its last and final episode. With plans to make the stage for the next Superman, the iconic show is available to stream on Max in the U.S.