Of course, anyone that’s seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will remember that Superman was killed off at the end of the movie. Cavill’s tease reinforces the idea that the character will be reanimated and inducted into the Justice League, and hints at the comic book storyline that’s being used as inspiration.
The Death and Return of Superman was a comic book arc from 1992 that saw the Man of Steel die at the hands of Doomsday. When the hero made his inevitable return to the land of the living, he had ditched his classic costume for a sleek black and silver outfit.
These are the threads that Cavill was referencing in an Instagram post from August 15, according to a report from io9. The actor posted a zoomed-in photograph of what seems to be a jet-black Superman suit, presumably the costume that he will wear in Justice League.
That being said, it’s possible that Cavill is just baiting fans with a grayscale filter applied to a photograph of his standard suit. He’s obviously well aware of the black suit’s relevance to the character’s hardcore fan base, so whether it appears in the movie or not, it seems likely that The Death and Return of Superman will continue to be a major inspiration.
Justice League is set to open on November 17, 2017, and will star Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, and Gal Gadot. The next entry in DC’s growing cinematic universe is Wonder Woman, which will debut a few months earlier on June 2, 2017.
