Matthew Vaughn Wants to Adapt a Popular Superman Comic With Henry Cavill

Kick-Ass helmer Matthew Vaughn pitches a new Superman movie, but with Henry Cavill back in the suit.

Matthew Vaughn, who directed the Kick-Ass movies and X-Men: First Class, spoke about his desire to make a Superman film in a Post Credit Podcast interview. After touching on the Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow movie that’s in the works at DC Studios, Vaughn was asked about the Superman: Red Son comic book series penned by his pal Mark Millar. The Elseworlds comic book imagines how Superman would be different if he were from the Soviet Union instead of the U.S., and Vaughn noted how its story has only gotten more relevant since its initial publication in 2003. He then imagined doing a Red Son film with his Argylle star Henry Cavill playing a variant of his Man of Steel character.

“I thought Red Son was one of the cleverest comics I’d ever read, and the current world we’re living in, it’s certainly become a lot more relevant because ignorance causes more issues, and I think the more we learn about Russia and the Russian history,” Vaughn explained. The director then added, “Wow, could you imagine remaking Red Son with Henry Cavill? That would be an interesting movie…”

While James Gunn has cast David Corenswet to play the DCU’s Man of Steel in Superman: Legacy, it’s not impossible for Matthew Vaughn to direct a Red Son film. That’s because there will also be DC movies made under the Elseworlds branding that will be separate from the events of the DCU. Gunn recently confirmed that a standalone Superman film from J.J. Abrams and Ta-Nehisi Coates is also still in the works, despite Superman: Legacy’s production. The question is if Gunn and fellow DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran would want a third Superman film happening anytime soon, especially with Henry Cavill, who’s moving on with Highlander and Warhammer 40K after hanging up the cape for good in 2022.

Matthew Vaughn and Mark Millar Pitched a Superman Trilogy

This isn’t the first time Vaughn has pitched a Superman project. The director previously shared how he teamed up with Superman: Red Son writer Mark Millar to pitch a trilogy of Superman movies to Warner Bros., and this was before Man of Steel was made with Henry Cavill. Vaughn said that the studio wasn’t interested and the idea went no further, though he didn’t explain what he and Millar had in mind for this particular trilogy of movies.

Meanwhile, the next Man of Steel will be taking flight on the big screen next year, as Superman: Legacy will be released in movie theaters on July 11, 2025.