Amazon and MGM’s upcoming “Voltron” movie just got a major dosage of star power: Henry Cavill, the man known best for his work in “Man of Steel” and “The Witcher,” has come aboard to lead the feature adaptation of the beloved animated series. The news comes to us via The Hollywood Reporter, though there are no details about the specifics of Cavill’s role at this time. What we know for sure is this adds yet another geeky franchise to the actor’s list of credits, and that list is already pretty impressive.
Rawson Marshall Thurber (“Red Notice,” “Central Intelligence”) is set to direct the “Voltron” movie. Plot details remain under wraps for the time being, but Cavill will star alongside newcomer Daniel Quinn-Toye. There’s also no word on just how soon production could begin. The show itself, which originated in the mid-’80s, centers on five young pilots who lead a group known as the Robot Lions. Their various robotic jungle cats join together to form one powerful giant robot known as Voltron. Yes, this is not unlike the Megazord from “Power Rangers.”
Cavill may no longer be starring as Superman following his one-and-done cameo in 2022’s “Black Adam,” but the actor is staying busy. He’s currently getting ready to film the long-in-the-works “Highlander” remake, with “John Wick” director Chad Stahelski at the helm. It seems likely he’ll wrap up that film before suiting up for Thurber and Amazon. But that’s far from the only project on Cavill’s increasingly long to-do list.
Henry Cavill gets yet another shot at a big, geeky franchise
Netflix
Cavill led Netflix’s “The Witcher” for several seasons before leaving the show behind, paving the way for Liam Hemsworth to take over. Since then, he has stayed in the world of geekdom, signing on for several different movies and TV shows that have dedicated fan bases built in. That certainly includes “Highlander,” but also extends to some of his other commitments.
Cavill is also on board to star in and produce an adaptation of “Warhammer 40,000”, which is also being put together at Amazon. Some of the actor’s other recent works include Guy Ritchie’s “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” as well as Matthew Vaughn’s “Argylle.” Neither of those were major financial successes, so Cavill could certainly use a hit. At the very least, he’d probably like a win in the franchise world after what went down with his run as Superman.
Thurber penned the screenplay for this latest incarnation of “Voltron” alongside Ellen Shanman. Todd Lieberman, Bob Koplar, Thurber, and David Hoberman are on board as producers.
The “Voltron” movie does not currently have a release date, but stay tuned.
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