Henry Cavill's 10 Best Movie Roles That Aren't Superman

There's much more to Henry Cavill's career than just playing Superman, and he's got a surprisingly varied CV. Cavill first came onto people's radar in the late 2000s, when the largely unknown young actor screentested for Batman, James Bond and Superman across different projects, none of which he nabbed at the time. Years later, he was finally cast as Man of Steel's Superman, and (pun fully intended), his career quickly took flight.

Henry Cavill's movie and TV shows encompass everything from superhero projects to dramas amnd fantasy epics like The Witcher. The British star is an unabashed nerd in real life, too, with Cavill even planning a Warhammer 40,000 universe for Amazon. He's built up quite the impressive filmography over the past 25 years, and while there have been duds along the way - hi there, Night Hunter! - he's done some great work too.

10 Hellraiser: Hellworld (2002) - Mike

A sequel Cavill would probably like to forget about, Hellraiser: Hellworld is the eighth entry in the cult horror saga. This instalment is also one of Cavill's earliest film roles, where he plays Mike, who is part of a group of friends addicted to an online game based on Hellraiser. The movie is quite meta in this regard, but it's also, sadly, pretty bad.

That said, Cavill brings some charm to an undercooked role. Mike is a self-obsessed douche who abandons his friends to chase after an attractive lady, and he should be quite hateable. Instead, Cavill makes Mike one of the more interesting characters, and while that might sound like faint praise, that's not a small task in a project as indifferently produced as Hellraiser: Hellworld. The star power and charisma he would bring to later roles are there in a raw form; he just needed a way better script to showcase them in.

9 The Cold Light Of Day (2012) - Will Shaw

When Henry Cavill was cast in Man of Steel in early 2011, he wasn't much of a known entity among moviegoers. He was best known for his role in The Tudors, so the 2012 action thriller The Cold Light of Day was really his first test as a big screen leading man. On paper, it looked promising, and Cavill had two icons like Sigourney Weaver and Bruce Willis lending support.

The movie itself was met with largely indifferent reviews, while it just about recouped its $20 million budget back. In short, it is one of Cavill's most forgotten films, but it was still a key project in his career. When it comes to all the running, punching and shooting, Cavill does a fine job, and he brings some emotional heft to a character who, as written, isn't the most dynamic.

8 Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) - The Cavillrine

Cavill has been fancast in just about every major superhero role imaginable, including Captain Britain and Batman. After Hugh Jackman hung up Wolverine's claws with 2017's Logan, it was only natural Cavill would top lists as a possible replacement. Of course, those lists were thrown away when Jackman returned for 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine.

Given that Deadpool is one of the most meta franchises in the world, it's a given it would be littered with shock cameos. The best of the bunch is Cavill as "The Cavillrine," a variant Wolverine that Wade/Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) briefly runs into. It's genuinely cool to see Cavill inhabit the Wolverine part - even if it's only for about 30 seconds. Cavill's gruff turn makes a convincing case that, in a different universe, he would have actually nailed the part had it come his way.

7 Blood Creek (2008) - Evan Marshall

This Joel Schumacher (The Lost Boys, Batman Forever) horror movie barely got released, but it's an underrated gem from the late 2000s. It also gave both Cavill and Michael Fassbender their first major leading roles, where the former plays a medic trying to destroy Fassbender's Nazi vampire/demon thing. Blood Creek feels like a throwback to John Carpenter's earliest movies, where the heroes are besieged by an otherworldly threat and have to fight their way out; this also entails battling a zombie horse.

The story escapes its B-movie trappings with an incredible cast (which includes Shea Whigham) and Schumacher's sleek, unpretentious direction. It's an interesting movie when looking at how Cavill developed his star persona, since he plays a more timid, uncertain character than he would later be known for. There's not much charm or good humor to Evan Marshall, who has to find his heroism while experiencing the night from Hell.

6 Sand Castle (2017) - Capt. Syverson

Sand Castle is one of those Netflix originals that generated some buzz during its initial release on the streamer, only to be largely forgotten in the years that followed. What's unique about this war drama is the cast behind it, which includes Nic Hoult, Glen Powell and Henry Cavill himself. If there was ever proof needed that there is a character actor lurking inside Cavill's hunky frame, Sand Castle provides it.

Cavill's Capt. Syverson doesn't get much screentime, but he steals every scene. Cavill speaks with a surprisingly convincing Southern accent and is both a highly capable soldier and a major ham. Cavill goes real big in Sand Castle, and while that could have spelled disaster, he instead became the most memorable thing about it. The movie could have used more sceens for Syverson, who adds a lot of spice to an overly earnest drama.

5 Stardust (2007) - Humphrey

Even fans of fantasy adventure Stardust tend to forget Cavill is even in it. That's largely down to the movie having a stacked cast (Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, Peter O'Toole, etc), and that the young Cavill barely looks like himself with his character's blond hair and wispy mustache. There's an argument to be made that Cavill has delivered some of his best work in supporting roles, instead of the lead.

That's true with Stardust, where he makes a meal out of his handful of scenes. He plays the smarmy romantic rival to the movie's hero, Tristan (Charlie Cox), who humiliates the young man during a stick fight. Cavill's Humphrey is a pompous little bully, but again, the British star gives it enough of a twinkle that he can't help but be a little charming regardless.

4 The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024) - Gus March-Phillipps

This Guy Ritchie spy romp is based on the very real Special Operations Executive formed by Winston Churchill during World War II, which included the likes of Bond creator Ian Fleming and Christopher Lee. This is no history lesson, however, and is best described as Ritchie's take on The Expendables. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is fronted by Cavill's flamboyant Gus March-Phillipps, who assembles a team (which includes Alan Ritchson's Anders) to go behind enemy lines.

This is all an excuse for Ritchie to stage flashy action sequences and have his cast of good-looking people trading quips. The film could be accused of being style over substance, because it is, but it allows Cavill to let his hair down. He goes wildly over the top at times, though he never overwhelms the film either. His thunder is slightly stolen by Ritchson though, who is magnetic as the hulking Anders Lassen.

3 Enola Holmes (2020) - Sherlock Holmes

Some of the greatest actors of all time have taken on Sherlock Holmes, including Ian McKellen, Christopher Plummer and Robert Downey Jr. In short, Cavill had big shoes to fill when he stepped into the part of the legendary detective for Netflix's Enola Holmes. As the title suggests, Sherlock is a supporting role, with the story revolving around his plucky younger sister (played by Millie Bobby Brown).

Cavill is pretty delightful in this Netflix original, and in contrast to the more aloof portrayals of the brainy detective other performers revert to, he opts for a warmer version. Sure, Cavill's version still has Holmes' intellectual arrogance and belief he's the smartest person in any room he enters, but it's still a gentler take that meshes well with the movie's tone. Plus, he's easily the most ripped take on the character to date.

2 Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) - Walker

Cavill has a tricky time escaping from under the shadow of Superman, and soon got typecast in heroic roles. That's what made his turn as the slimy CIA assassin Walker in the sixth Mission: Impossible so much fun. From the moment the arrogant, strutting killer enters the story, it's clear he and Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) will eventually come to blows.

It also helps that Cavill is clearly having the time of his life with Fallout. The sequel shows off his action skills )including the new infamous "reloading arms" moment) and he often steals scenes whilst saying very little. It's nearly a shame Walker makes his maker in the finale, as it would have been nice to see Cavill return to the series. Based on the evidence presented by Mission: Impossible - Fallout, he should be playing more bad guys too.

1 The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) - Napoleon Solo

The spectre (sorry) of James Bond has hung over Cavill throughout his career. He was the second choice behind Daniel Craig for Casino Royale, and ever since, his fans have longed to see him actually play 007. That's unlikely now, but with Guy Ritchie's The Man from U.N.C.L.E., it feels like Cavill got Bond out of his system early.

This stylish reboot of the 1960s spy show cast Cavill as American secret agent Napoleon Solo, and the film practically weaponizes Cavill's charisma. He's every inch the movie star here; impossibly handsome and suave, but with a dry sense of humor that makes him easy to root for. It helps that the surrounding movie is a breezy and fun romp that feels like a throwback to the Bond movies of yesteryear. It's not flawless by any means (it's a little too slick for its own good), but it proved there was more to Henry Cavill than superheroes.