Marvel reportedly casts the actor we've been waiting for

As we head towards the end of 2024, we can't help but look back on what a recognizably stronger year it has been for Marvel Studios. The studio that once had no bad years, 2023 was a bit of a rough one for it, as a number of struggles at the box office and negatively received Disney Plus shows brought an unexpected sign of weakness for the formerly indestructible franchise. But it bounced back in a big way this year, with Deadpool and Wolverine scoring out-of-this-world numbers at the box office (and earning the franchise another billion-dollar hit) while shows Echo, X-Men '97 and Agatha All Along performed well on the Disney Plus streaming service and earned praise from the core Marvel fans.

Yes, Marvel was back, and 2025 looks to be another strong year for the franchise. Daredevil makes his long-awaited full-time return to TV screens in a new Disney Plus series, Sam Wilson's Captain America and the Thunderbolts take flight, and the Fantastic Four make their highly-anticipated MCU debut after a decade in the making.

Those titles will feature some major star-power, from Harrison Ford to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, once again highlighting the draw of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But, as fans of the franchise will know, Marvel never struggles when it comes to star power. And now a new report suggests that it could very well be bringing in another major Hollywood star to bring a long-awaited fan-casting dream to life.

Henry Cavill rumored to have joined the MCU as Captain Britain

According to Marvel scooper account, Marvel Updates, Henry Cavill has reportedly been cast in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Captain Britain. A name often associated with that character (particularly in the past half-decade), he has been rumored to play the part in the past, but it has become a more recurring report among scoopers and insiders this year due to the fact that he recently worked with Marvel Studios on Deadpool and Wolverine (appearing as a variant of Wolverine dubbed "The Cavillrine").

This comes after a recent report suggested that Marvel wanted him to return to the franchise in a "full role". Meanwhile, another recent rumor claims that he has been given a tentative offer to play the role of Captain Britain but that he has not yet committed to it, adding that Marvel has not yet set a date for a project that would star him as the character. That report also adds that the studio wants him to reprise his role as the Wolverine variant in Avengers: Secret Wars.

Captain Britain has been very much seen as the UK's version of Captain America, and there are similarities. The character, real name Brian Braddock, was originated by Marvel UK in 1976 by Chris Claremont and Herb Trimpe and he possesses super strength and enhanced reflexes like his US counterpart. But there are also some extreme differences, as Brian has more supernatural powers, including flight. His power comes from a matrix of energies over the UK, which can also result in his powers weakening whenever he is away from the UK for long periods of time. In that case, he has a trusty uniform that essentially acts as a battery whenever he is away from the UK, keeping him powered up for international battles.

Needless to say, Cavill would ace a role like this one, and it's no mystery as to why fans would love to see him in the role. He's a natural hero with such a charm that resonates with audiences; look no further than his performance as the iconic Superman in the DCEU. While fans felt that those movies didn't often serve the character well outside of Man of Steel, Cavill's performance as the beloved DC superhero has remained a fan-favorite ever since.

Fans have been longing for him to join the MCU for years now, and even though he technically has thanks to the Deadpool and Wolverine cameo, they are hoping to see him get the chance to bring Captain Britain to life in the near-future. It sounds like it might be a possibility.

Here's hoping that it happens!