Zack Snyder has shared an image of Henry Cavill’s Superman costume test for Man of Steel with the actor wearing Christopher Reeve’s classic suit. The first superhero, Superman’s striking costume - a blue body with red cape and yellow “hope” emblem on his chest - is one of the most iconic in the genre. Needless to say, for any actor getting to wear it is a major honor.

The current big screen incarnation is Henry Cavill, who’s already played Kal-El in Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and is set to be resurrected from his untimely death at the end of the latter in this year’s Justice League. The DCEU’s version of the suit has made a few changes from the accepted convention. For one thing, the red underwear is nowhere to be seen. But bigger than that it fully embraces the hero’s alien origins, with kryptonite text embossed all over the material. For those who’ve wondered what Cavill would look like in something more classical, though, you can now see for yourselves.

Zack Snyder has shared an image on his Vevo page of Cavill’s first costume test, during which he wore a replica of suit from the classic Christopher Reeve movies. The director had previously revealed a similar still, but with Cavill and the costume blurred. Accompanying the photo (below), Snyder praised his actor:

Snyder’s previously shared an image from Cavill’s first time trying on his eventual costume, but this takes us back even further to when the director was still deciding on who his star would be. Evidenced by his statement, over five years after the casting he’s clearly still happy with his choice.

“I knew when I saw him he was my Superman.”

Although this was Cavill’s first costume test for Man of Steel, it wasn’t the first time he’d ever worn a Superman costume. Fitting of Snyder’s comments, he was previously considered to play Clark Kent in Superman Flyby, a canceled project that preceded Superman Returns, and did a screen test (along with fellow eventual Supes Brandon Routh).

While it’s nice to see a behind-the-scenes image, many fans are waiting for a different sort of look at Cavill. His Superman was pointedly absent from the recent Justice League trailer and posters, a sly move on Warner Bros. part to hype his resurrection. It’s likely that Snyder’s sharing this photo is part of this building up anticipation for the character’s return, be that in a later trailer or the finished movie in November.

Source: Zack Snyder (via ComicBook.com)

Next: 15 Things Man Of Steel Did Better Than Superman: The Movie

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