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Superman: All 10 Clark Kent actors ranked from worst to best

By Michael Patterson

The Flash -- "Elseworlds, Part 1" -- Image Number: FLA509b_0692r.jpg -- Pictured: Tyler Hoechlin as Clark Kent -- Photo: Katie Yu/The CW -- © 2018 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved
The Flash -- "Elseworlds, Part 1" -- Image Number: FLA509b_0692r.jpg -- Pictured: Tyler Hoechlin as Clark Kent -- Photo: Katie Yu/The CW -- © 2018 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved /
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Superman, Henry Cavill, Clark Kent
Henry Cavill (Superman / Clark Kent) in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Photograph by Courtesy of HBO Max /

7. Henry Cavill

Appeared in: Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Black Adam

The handling of Superman in the DC Extended Universe will always be one of that shared universe’s (many) missed opportunities. That’s not to say that Henry Cavill wasn’t great in the role  because he was – it’s just that the legendary Man of Steel could have been so much more than what he was.

His first appearance in Man of Steel was a strong foundation, but succeeding chapters of the DCEU would build upon some of the wrong threads, making for a lackluster character portrayal. Man of Steel attempted to add more depth to the Clark Kent character by blurring the lines between his Daily Planet persona and Superman so that they were more similar, but it wasn’t as successful as it wanted to be. Sure, Superman felt a bit more well-rounded and modern, but the result left Clark Kent himself feeling, well, a lot less like Clark Kent.

Whether he was wearing glasses or not, the Superman of the DCEU was almost always broody – which is something that neither he nor Clark should be all of the time. Henry Cavill did a great job at portraying that, and it worked well for the first movie, but not even he could elevate the lackluster material that came next to where it needed to be.

Henry was better than the material he was given, and only in Man of Steel and Zack Snyder’s Justice League did he show the promise of what his Superman was capable of. Nevertheless, his Clark Kent never truly felt like the character he was supposed to be.

If you’re looking for an example of a more balanced, serious, and nuanced Clark Kent that never loses sight of who the character is, watch Superman and Lois.

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