Summary
- Henry Cavill shines as one of Hollywood’s powerful and versatile action stars, embodying iconic characters from Superman to Geralt of Rivia.
- Cavill’s characters showcase diverse forms of power, from superhuman abilities to intellect and influence over others.
- Whether playing heroes or villains, Cavill proves that power can come in different forms and be used for justice or chaos.
Henry Cavill has solidified himself as one of Hollywood’s most popular and recognizable action stars. From the Kryptonian Superman to monster hunter Geralt of Rivia, Cavill not only tends to star in action films and television series, but has also played many powerful characters. In the DC Extended Universe, superpowers are an integral part of the character he plays, and as he seeks to use his powers to enact justice in an unjust world.
Some of Cavill’s other characters also have superhuman abilities and superior physical strength, which makes them more powerful in others. In other cases, Cavill’s characters are powerful because of the influence they can wield over others, or in how they are able to outmaneuver their opponents through their unparalleled intellect. In Cavill’s action movies and in other projects, he has proven that there is more than one way to be powerful, and that it can be about more than battle prowess and physical strength.
Related I’ve Figured Out Henry Cavill’s Perfect The Witcher Replacement, And It’s Not Wolverine
Even though many believe Wolverine can be Henry Cavill’s perfect The Witcher replacement, another up-and-coming franchise could have him as its lead.
10 Agent Argylle
Argylle (2024)
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In the world of Elly Conway’s novels, Agent Argylle is the brave protagonist who resourcefully overcomes any obstacle in his path and always saves the day. In reality, Elly seems to be the real Argylle (Rachel Kylle), whose true memories and abilities were suppressed after being captured and brainwashed by her enemies. The real power belongs to Rachel once she rediscovers who she is, with the fictional Argylle mostly existing to remind her of her true self.
This becomes more convoluted with the actual real Argylle showing up at Rachel’s reading of her final novel during Argylle‘s ending. The full story and extent of the real Argylle’s power remains to be seen, but for now remains a mystery. Based on what is known about Argylle, though, he cannot hold a candle to many of Cavill’s other characters, although that may change if the real Argylle is fleshed out further in potential sequels and spinoffs.
Argylle PG-13ActionThrillerComedy Where to Watch
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Argylle is an action thriller by director Matthew Vaughn. The movie centers on an introverted novelist who is thrown into the real world of espionage after the plot of her most recent spy thriller parrels the crimes of an underground syndicate. Argylle has a star-studded cast, including Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Dua Lipa, and Samuel L. Jackson, among others.
Director Matthew Vaughn Release Date February 2, 2024 Studio(s) Apple , Cloudy Productions , Marv Studios Distributor(s) Universal Pictures , Apple Writers Jason Fuchs Cast Henry Cavill , Ariana DeBose , Sofia Boutella , Catherine O’Hara , Bryce Dallas Howard , John Cena , Dua Lipa , Samuel L. Jackson , Sam Rockwell , Bryan Cranston , Rob Delaney Runtime 139 Minutes Main Genre Action Expand
9 Napoleon Solo
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
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Cavill’s Napoleon Solo is a World War II veteran who became involved with the post-war black market. Instead of this being the end of him, the talents he used in his illegal dealings led him to the employ of the CIA, a position that grants him a certain degree of power in The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Solo does not have the superpowers that other Cavill characters possess, but he is quite intuitive, charming, and inventive, all of which enable him to be successful.
Alongside Illya Kuryakin, Solo takes on Nazi sympathizers, who are attempting to create a nuclear weapon. With his various talents and his partner, Solo is able to stop these kinds of enemies, but he would be severely outmatched against many of the opponents that Cavill’s other characters face. Solo’s power only works in a world with espionage and traditional warfare, and not against the monsters and supervillains other Cavill characters have proven themselves against.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. PG-13ActionAdventureComedy Where to Watch
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Based on the television series of the same name, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is directed by Guy Ritchie and stars Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer. Set during the height of the Cold War, the film follows a CIA operative and a KGB agent who are forced to work together to stop an international criminal conspiracy. Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, and Hugh Grant star alongside Cavill and Hammer.
Director Guy Ritchie Release Date August 14, 2015 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Lionel Wigram , Guy Ritchie Cast Hugh Grant , Jared Harris , Armie Hammer , Henry Cavill , Alicia Vikander Runtime 116 Minutes Expand
8 Gus March-Phillips
The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
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Gustavus March-Phillips was a real-life individual, and was powerful enough to inspire the character of James Bond in Ian Fleming’s writings. Operation Postmaster, a secretive mission to sabotage Axis supply lines, was carried out under Gus’ command. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare heavily dramatizes the true story of Operation Postmaster, but in the real and fictional versions of these stories, Gus’ leadership, resourcefulness, and bravery prove vital in the mission’s success.
Under these kinds of circumstances, Gus could be a powerful individual willing to take risks to achieve the desired result of his mission. Outside the context of war, Cavill’s version of Gus does not have a great deal of power, especially when compared to other characters Cavill has portrayed. The real Gus initially bringing Bond to life is a point in his favor, although this influence has little to do with the fictional Gus, who came many decades after Bond was first created.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare RActionComedyDrama
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a World War II film following a top-secret combat unit who were formed by Winston Churchill to hunt down Nazis. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the book The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops by Damien Lewis.
Director Guy Ritchie Release Date April 19, 2024 Studio(s) Black Bear , Jerry Bruckheimer Films , Toff Guy Films Distributor(s) Lionsgate Writers Paul Tamasy , Eric Johnson , Arash Amel , Guy Ritchie Cast Henry Cavill , Eiza González , Alan Ritchson , Alex Pettyfer , Hero Fiennes Tiffin , Babs Olusanmokun , Til Schweiger , Henry Golding , Cary Elwes , Henrique Zaga Runtime 120 Minutes Main Genre Action Expand
7 August Walker
Mission Impossible – Fallout (2018)
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Cavill tends to play heroic characters, but he proved he can also excel at playing the villain through the role of August Walker in Mission Impossible – Fallout. Walker successfully infiltrated the CIA, becoming trusted within the government organization while secretly working for the Apostles. He is a formidable opponent for Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, which, as seen throughout the Mission Impossible series, is a difficult feat considering Ethan’s experience and many skills.
Despite what Walker is able to achieve, being the villain in this case means he is ultimately defeated by Ethan. Failing to succeed in his mission, no matter how sinister it is in this case, automatically makes Walker weaker than other Cavill characters who are ultimately successful in their aims. Cavill is just as adept at playing a villain as he is at playing a hero, and in this case, the villainous Walker cannot surpass the heroes because of how his story ends.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout pg-13ActionThriller Where to Watch
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A direct sequel to Rogue Nation and the sixth installment in the franchise, Mission: Impossible – Fallout is an action-thriller spy film that sees Tom Cruise return to the role of IMF Agent Ethan Hunt. To avert a worldwide disaster, the IMF agents will join up with a CIA agent to stop a new terrorist cell known as the Apostles. When three nuclear devices go missing, the agents will find themselves racing to stop them from falling into the hands of the deadly bioterror group.
Director Christopher McQuarrie Release Date July 25, 2018 Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Writers Christopher McQuarrie Cast Tom Cruise , Rebecca Ferguson , Henry Cavill , Vanessa Kirby Runtime 148 Minutes Expand
Related 10 Mission Impossible Villains Ranked
Although every Mission: Impossible villain brings something new to the table, only a few raise effectively raise the stakes for Ethan Hunt’s missions.
6 Sherlock Holmes
Enola Holmes (2020) & Enola Holmes 2 (2022)
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Enola Holmes‘ Sherlock Holmes may not have superpowers or unparalleled physical strength, but Sherlock is a renowned and famous detective able to take on and solve cases that are a mystery to everyone else. Only his sister, Enola, and Enola Holmes 2‘s Moriarty can rival his intuition and ability to see meaningful patterns where others see nothing at all. Beyond his intelligence, Sherlock wields influence because of his impressive reputation, and is able to attract high-profile clients.
Enola Holmes 3
is slated to begin production in 2025.
While Cavill’s Sherlock is influential in his area of expertise and in the cases he solves, his influence, and therefore his power, is limited outside this context. This makes him weaker than some of Cavill’s other characters, who remain powerful regardless of the environment they find themselves in. Sherlock’s arena is extensive enough that he is powerful more often than not in his daily life, although that may be further challenged by Moriarty in Enola Holmes 3.
Enola Holmes PG-13CrimeMysteryDramaAdventure Where to Watch
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Adapted from the first book in Nancy Springer’s The Enola Holmes Mysteries series, Enola Holmes follows the titular heroine, the younger sister of famous London detective Sherlock Holmes, as she attempts to solve the disappearance of her mother and unwittingly gets drawn into a mystery that could threaten all of Great Britain. Millie Bobbie Brown stars as Enola, with a cast that includes Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham Carter.
Director Harry Bradbeer Release Date September 23, 2020 Distributor(s) Netflix Writers Jack Thorne , Nancy Springer , Arthur Conan Doyle Cast Millie Bobby Brown , Helena Bonham Carter , Sam Claflin , Fiona Shaw , Henry Cavill , Louis Partridge , Burn Gorman , Adeel Akhtar , Susie Wokoma Runtime 123 minutes Main Genre Adventure Expand
5 Charles Brandon
The Tudors (2007-2010)
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The Tudors‘ Charles Brandon is more powerful in the political realm than any other character Cavill has played. Charles held many prominent titles as a close ally and member of King Henry VIII’s inner circle, and maintained a powerful influence that few of the monarch’s closest companions were able to sustain. Henry VIII famously killed several of his wives, but Charles was able to remain well-liked and trusted by him, a powerful feat in itself.
Charles’ political power only reaches so far, though, as he cannot supersede the will of Henry VIII and generally obeys the king’s orders. If he had to face Cavill’s characters, who have superpowers, Charles’ political power probably would not be that useful, and he would be easily bested by them. There are limits to what he can achieve, both in The Tudors and in a hypothetical match against Cavill’s more powerful characters.
The Tudors (2007) TV-MADramaRomance Where to Watch
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The Tudors is a historical drama television series that chronicles the reign of King Henry VIII of England, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers. The show explores his tumultuous relationships, including his marriages to Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn, while delving into the intrigue, politics, and drama of the Tudor court.
Release Date April 1, 2007 Cast Jonathan Rhys Meyers , Henry Cavill , Sarah Bolger , Max Brown , David O’Hara Seasons 4 Creator(s) Michael Hirst
4 The Cavillrine
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
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While Cavill only has a cameo as one of the many variants of Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine, enough was seen to assert him as one of Cavill’s most powerful characters. Similar to other Wolverines, including the titular one played by Hugh Jackman, the Cavillrine has retractable adamantium claws and superior physical strength that sends Deadpool hurtling through a pillar when he is punched. The Cavillrine quickly proved to be more powerful than Deadpool.
Since he has the adamantium claws and superior physical strength, he likely possesses other Wolverine abilities, such as the character’s regenerative healing.
He was not swayed by Deadpool’s words and made it clear that he did not want to go with the Merc with a Mouth. This demonstrates mental strength as Deadpool’s fast-talking sometimes gets inside the heads of those listening to him, but the Cavillrine was not swayed by this. Since he has the adamantium claws and superior physical strength, he likely possesses other Wolverine abilities, such as the character’s regenerative healing.
Deadpool & Wolverine RAction Sci-FiComedySuperhero
A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
Director Shawn Levy Release Date July 26, 2024 Studio(s) Marvel , Maximum Effort Distributor(s) Disney Writers Rhett Reese , Paul Wernick , Shawn Levy , Ryan Reynolds , Zeb Wells , Rob Liefeld , Fabian Nicieza Cast Ryan Reynolds , Hugh Jackman , Emma Corrin , Morena Baccarin , Rob Delaney , Leslie Uggams , Karan Soni , Matthew Macfadyen , Brianna Hildebrand , Shioli Kutsuna , Stefan Kapicic , Lewis Tan , Randal Reeder , Jennifer Garner , Aaron Stanford , Billy Clements , Ollie Palmer , Chris Hemsworth , Rob McElhenney Runtime 127 Minutes Main Genre Action Expand
3 Theseus
Immortals (2011)
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When Immortals begins, Theseus is a mortal human soldier and an outcast in his society. That changes when Theseus is chosen by the Greek gods to stop King Hyperion and his minions from unleashing the Titans incarcerated below Mount Tartarus. By the end of Immortals, Theseus not only defeats Hyperion and his forces, thereby preventing their dastardly plan from coming to fruition, but ascends to Mount Olympus itself and becomes a legend.
Theseus’ physical strength and battle prowess elevate his power over many of Cavill’s other characters. Only a warrior of Theseus’ caliber could be victorious over Hyperion and the vicious Minotaur, known in this story as the Beast. Being chosen by the gods, going to Mount Olympus itself, and becoming an enduring legend puts Theseus in a class of his own that makes him more powerful than most of Cavill’s characters, with only two others able to rival him.
Immortals RFantasyAction Where to Watch
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In ancient Greece, a young man named Theseus is chosen and trained by the gods. With the help of the oracle Phaedra, he must locate the Epirus Bow to stop the Hyperion from releasing the titans and enslaving mankind.
Director Tarsem Singh Release Date November 11, 2011 Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Vlas Parlapanides , Charley Parlapanides Cast Henry Cavill , Stephen Dorff , Luke Evans , Isabel Lucas , Kellan Lutz , Freida Pinto , Mickey Rourke Runtime 110 minutes Expand
2 Geralt Of Rivia
The Witcher (2019-Present)
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From a young age, Geralt of Rivia was trained in the art of killing humans and monsters, skills that are required of every Witcher. Compared to other Witchers, Geralt became the most powerful of them all, largely due to his body being mutated and thus granting him superhuman abilities. He has superior strength, agility, sight, and speed, making him a true force to be reckoned with in The Witcher‘s fantastical world.
Liam Hemsworth has been recast as Geralt for
The Witcher
season 4.
Few are as gifted with weapons as Geralt is, giving him a mastery over the weapons he wields, and an advantage over those he faces. He is still an expert fighter without weapons, though, using hand-to-hand combat on many occasions to best his enemies, and proving that his body is a weapon all on its own. Geralt stands tall among the most powerful characters Cavill has portrayed, but there is one character even more powerful than Geralt.
The Witcher AdventureDramaActionFantasy Where to Watch
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Based on the novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and the video games, The Witcher follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. “Ciri” Cirilla is the Princess of Cintra, who has magical abilities and whose fate has been linked to Geralt’s. Yennefer of Vengerberg, a sorceress who trains to become a mage before deserting her duties and going solo, is also a main character in the Netflix series. The show’s storylines are intertwined but told throughout different timelines, all of which eventually catch up to Ciri’s, whose timeline of events is the most recent. Set on the Continent where men, monsters, and elves exist together, the characters all have separate journeys, though their destinies bring them into each others’ orbits.
Release Date December 20, 2019 Writers Lauren Schmidt Hissrich Cast Tom Canton , Maciej Musial , Björn Hlynur Haraldsson , Anna Shaffer , MyAnna Buring , Lars Mikkelsen , Royce Pierreson , Eamon Farren , Wilson Radjou-Pujalte , Joey Batey , Jodhi May , Therica Wilson-Read , Anya Chalotra , Mimi Ndiweni , Henry Cavill , Freya Allan , Adam Levy , Amit Shah , Liam Hemsworth , Laurence Fishburne Seasons 4 Directors Lauren Schmidt Hissrich Showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich Expand
1 Superman/Clark Kent
Man Of Steel (2013), Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016), Justice League (2017), Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), & Black Adam (2022)
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Between his flight, heat and X-ray vision, superhuman strength and speed, and with his only weakness being kryptonite, Superman is easily Cavill’s most powerful character. Whether working alone or with fellow superheroes, Cavill’s Superman defeats the formidable likes of General Zod, Doomsday, and Steppenwolf. If he had chosen to do so, Superman could have destroyed human civilization with no one able to oppose him, but choosing not to do this and use his abilities for good is a different kind of power in itself.
Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyder’s Justice League did tease a future where Darkseid had control over Superman, which proved to be apocalyptic, and a greater threat than anything DC’s heroes had ever faced before, although this story will likely never be completed due to DC’s creative overhaul. As Clark Kent, he demonstrates a different kind of power as a kind, brave, and insightful journalist working for the Daily Planet. While Henry Cavill will play more powerful characters throughout his career, none will be able to surpass the power of Superman/Clark Kent.
Man of Steel PG-13Adventure Sci-FiActionFantasySuperhero Where to Watch
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This new take on Superman’s origin story, Man of Steel, centers on young journalist Clark Kent/Kal-El, a being who came to Earth as a child from Krypton. Though he has trouble fitting in with his secret superpowers and questions his purpose in life, Clark is forced into action when fellow Kryptonian General Zod arrives on Earth hellbent on conquest. Clark is built by the values set upon him by his parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, who adopted him as an otherworldly orphan, inadvertently raising him to become the hero humanity needs.
Director Zack Snyder Release Date June 14, 2013 Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers David S. Goyer , Christopher Nolan Cast Kevin Costner , Laurence Fishburne , Richard Schiff , Amy Adams , Harry Lennix , Antje Traue , Michael Shannon , Henry Cavill , Christopher Meloni , Diane Lane , Russell Crowe Runtime 143 minutes Expand