Is David Corenswet’s Superman More Powerful Than Henry Cavill?

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Superman.David Corenswet’s Superman has proven to be more powerful than expected in Superman, and this has inevitably led to comparisons between him and Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel, with one of them being the most powerful. James Gunn’s DC Universe could not have started better when it comes to its new live-action version of Superman, who was superbly played by Corenswet.

The Superman movie’s ending, with the hero looking at videos of his life with the Kents, showcased how the film was focused on the human aspect of the Man of Steel. However, that does not mean that it let Superman’s superhero life fall by the wayside. Corenswet’s character had quite a few thrilling fights solo and with others helping.

Superman‘s DC Comics elements included multiple villains — with some original additions — that led to many tests of Superman’s strength and resourcefulness. By the end of the film, I think we know enough of Corenswet’s Superman to accurately place his power level in comparison to DC’s previous Man of Steel, Henry Cavill. The two of them are among the most powerful Supermen.

David Corenswet’s Superman Never Lost A Fight In 3 Years & Faced Major Threats In His DCU Debut

The Superman Movie’s Opening Crawl Revealed Key Details About The Hero

In the trailers leading up to the film, it was common to see Corenswet’s Superman getting injured or bleeding, which is unusual for live-action adaptations of the Man of Steel. I’m happy to say that the DCU’s first movie shows that while Corenswet’s Superman does go through some scary moments, he is depicted as incredibly powerful throughout the film.

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To start, Superman‘s opening crawl confirmed that he had not lost a single fight in three years, with the Hammer of Boravia being the first to defeat him. Even then, we would learn that the character was actually Ultraman — a Superman clone created by Lex Luthor — who beat him by receiving orders from the villain, who memorized several battle movements.

Fighting the Hammer of Boravia/Ultraman, the Engineer, a kaiju, and Lex’s Raptors in Superman, David Corenswet’s Clark Kent went through a lot. Still, he came up on the other side without any permanent damage. Superman also saved himself, Krypto, Metamorpho, and Baby Joey from a black hole’s pull using just his breath. That impressive feat boosts his power level.

Henry Cavill’s Superman Had Many Impressive Displays Of Power In The DCEU

The Previous DC Universe Introduced Many Powerful Heroes And Villains

Henry Cavill’s Superman appearances did not focus as much on the human side of the character as Corenswet’s Superman did. Instead, the DCEU mostly toyed with the idea that the hero felt different from the rest. That was reflected by Superman’s displays of power in the franchise, which far exceeded that of his colleagues in the Justice League.

In fact, one of the most impressive moments in the DCEU was when a freshly resurrected Superman easily held back the rest of the Justice League. Not only was he more powerful than Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Cyborg combined, but his speed allowed him to scare The Flash. Henry Cavill’s Superman was mostly unbeatable in the DCEU, save for a key moment.

After nearly dying in a fight with Ben Affleck’s Batman — who used Kryptonite against him — Cavill’s Superman killed and was killed by Doomsday. The character historically kills Superman in many adaptations, so there is that. Upon returning to life, Cavill’s Superman defeated Steppenwolf without breaking a sweat after the Justice League struggled against him. Cavill’s Superman was the DCEU’s most powerful hero.

Why Henry Cavill’s Superman Is More Powerful Than David Corenswet’s

The DCEU Superman Has Bigger Feats So Far

All in all, Henry Cavill’s Superman is more powerful than David Corenswet’s for now. We’ve had a longer time with the DCEU’s Man of Steel to compare his powers to other major DC heroes and villains. Cavill’s Superman proved himself to be superior to characters like Wonder Woman and Aquaman, which Corenswet’s Superman still has to do.

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While some might mention how Ben Affleck’s Batman nearly killed Cavill’s Superman, that was due to how he had crafted a plan with Kryptonite to defeat him. In James Gunn’s Superman movie, Corenswet’s Superman also gets extremely weak when Lex Luthor forces Metamorpho to use Kryptonite on him. If Lex had not waited to interrogate him, he could have killed Superman.

Even when Cavill’s Superman died, it was due to facing a tremendous force in Doomsday that is known for killing the Man of Steel. While I believe that Corenswet’s Superman was holding back throughout most of the film, we have yet to see him fully unleashed like Cavill’s Superman was against the Justice League and Steppenwolf. As such, DCEU Superman wins.

David Corenswet’s Superman Can Grow To Be The Most Powerful Out Of The Two

The Man Of Steel Has At Least Another Decade Of DC Movies Ahead

While Henry Cavill’s Superman might be more powerful than David Corenswet’s at the moment, that does not mean that he will be forever. After all, Cavill appeared multiple times as Superman from 2013’s Man of Steel to 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League. That gave him many opportunities to show his powers. Cavill’s Superman grew stronger as the DCEU went on.

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David Corenswet Is The Best Superman – Here’s Why

The new Superman movie proves that David Corenswet’s Superman is the best live-action version of the hero despite the high bar that had been set.

Arguably, Cavill’s biggest displays of power as Superman came in the two versions of Justice League. As such, Corenswet’s Superman has plenty of room to grow as the DCU continues. After all, James Gunn has a 10-year plan for DC, and Corenswet’s Superman will play a key role in the franchise’s future.

With Superman‘s opening weekend posting strong numbers, the path is set for the Man of Steel to return soon. In fact, Gunn is already planning a Superman sequel of sorts. With the arrival of the DCU’s Justice League and more heroes to compare his powers to, Corenswet’s Superman could soon top Cavill’s in terms of power.

Superman

9/10

Release Date

July 11, 2025

Runtime

130 Minutes

Producers

Lars P. Winther, Peter Safran