The fallout of Henry Cavill‘s exit from the role of Superman as a part of Warner Brothers’ DC Extended Universe continues. Of course, the next step for the studio is to find Cavill’s replacement, and it didn’t take them too long to come up with a brilliant name. New reports say that the studio is considering Creed star Michael B. Jordan to play the new Man of Steel.

This obviously would be a huge departure for the hero who has normally been portrayed as Caucasian. However, the studio is also putting a higher priority on Supergirl. So before we start cheering, we’ve got to wait for more than just a consideration. Much more on the reports below.

Deadline says that WB has been mulling over a new direction for Superman for quite some time. Whether or not this was a part of DC Films president Walter Hamada’s plan remains to be seen. However, it falls in line with earlier reports that the studio hasn’t had plans for a Superman film for over several years. That new direction includes casting Jordan in the role down the road. Deadline doesn’t get into too many details, but they do say that Supergirl will now be the studio’s focus.

The report came just hours after it was reported that Cavill would no longer be playing Superman. The actor, who had been playing the character for three films since 2013, parted ways with WB after talks for a cameo role in Shazam! broke down. Sources say that this was due to scheduling conflicts. Which could be very possible due to him signing on for the lead role in Netflix’s The Witcher. However, a source tells THR his signing on to the Witcher role came after things broke down with WB.

In a statement revealed by THR, a WB spokesperson said:

The DC film franchise has seen more downs than ups since its launch in 2013. Almost every film, but Wonder Woman, has not received the critical fanfare that Marvel Studios films have received. Additionally, actors like Ben Affleck have been looking for a way out of their contractual obligations to play respective characters. So far Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa remain committed to their roles as Wonder Woman and Aquaman, respectively. Aquaman will hit theaters this December, while Wonder Woman 1984 opens in theaters next year. Meanwhile Ezra Miller is expected to suit up as the Flash. The untitled film, which is rumored to be based on the “Flashpoint” story arc, is scheduled to begin production in early 2019.

And there may be some truth to the chatter that WB wants to hit the restart button. An insider source says “There’s a recognition that some parts of the previous movies didn’t work.” With Cavill and Affleck on their way out, that may give the studio the chance to revamp some things and steer the franchise into a new direction.

As to if Jordan as Superman could work, well the answer to that is an emphatic yes. There is already a black Superman in DC Comics. Calvin Ellis, Kryptonian name Kalel, also known as Superman, is a Kryptonian president of the United States, on a different Earth in the Multiverse. Multiverses could make things a bit hairy, but if properly mapped out, it could work out in everyone’s favor.

That being said, the Superman film will be taking a backseat as WB is focusing on Supergirl. 22 Jump Street writer Oren Uziel is currently penning the Supergirl script.

And then, of course, there is the expected toxic fandom backlash to Jordan’s casting, if it does happen. But that is all the more reason for it to happen. Let’s prove them all wrong and show that a person of color can also a be a Superman. But this is still far from a confirmation. The idea itself is exciting, considering Jordan’s stellar performances in films like Creed and Black Panther. But we have to remember that the reports say WB is only considering and that they haven’t officially made an offer yet

[Source: Deadline | THR]