Henry Cavill’s fans were left disappointed this week after it was confirmed that his new film Voltron will not be getting a theatrical release.
Despite early expectations, Amazon MGM Studios will now debut the big-budget live-action adaptation exclusively on Prime Video.
The news mirrors what happened with Road House, which was also expected to hit cinemas but landed straight on streaming.
Doug Liman, who directed Road House, went as far as publicly criticising Amazon and later stepped away from the sequel.
So far, there’s been no response from Henry, 42, or director Rawson Marshall Thurber about the shift in strategy.
A pattern of near-misses
© Warner Bros. PicturesWhile Voltron is still coming out, the lack of a cinema release adds to a growing list of frustrating near-misses in Henry’s career.
Despite being one of Hollywood’s most charismatic and in-demand actors, Henry has repeatedly come close to landing major roles — only for things to fall through.
We’ve rounded up seven huge projects that Henry was linked to but never secured.
Some were lost to timing, others to age or studio decisions. But taken together, they paint a picture of an actor who’s been one decision away from superstardom more than once.
© Warner Bros. Pictures1. Green Lantern (2011)
Before Ryan Reynolds became Deadpool, he starred in Green Lantern, a DC adaptation that flopped critically and commercially.
Henry was in the mix to play Hal Jordan, according to The Hollywood Reporter, but lost out during the final stages.
There’s no public comment from him on this role — and perhaps that’s for the best, given the film’s reception.
© Summit2. Twilight (2008)
Author Stephenie Meyer had one actor in mind when writing Twilight: Henry.
Writing in 2007, she said: "Henry Cavill is now twenty-four-years-old. Let us have a moment of quiet in which to mourn."
She later suggested him for the role of Carlisle Cullen, but by then Robert Pattinson had secured Edward and the series was underway.
Henry later said on Happy Sad Confused that he had no idea he was even being considered.
3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Another role that went to Robert was Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Henry auditioned for the part but lost out, likely due to age. He was around 20 at the time, while Robert was 19.
That single year made a difference for a character meant to be in school.
© Getty4. Casino Royale (2006)
Perhaps the biggest 'what if' in Henry’s career is James Bond.
He was reportedly the second choice for Casino Royale, losing out to Daniel Craig.
"They told me I was close," he told Happy Sad Confused. "It was down to me and Daniel. I was the younger option."
Though he missed out, the screen test helped raise his profile in Hollywood.
© Warner Bros. Pictures5. 300 (2006)
Zack Snyder, who later directed Henry in Man of Steel, originally wanted to cast him in 300.
The film eventually starred Gerard Butler. It’s unclear which role Henry was up for, but Snyder has spoken about considering him.
Henry has never commented publicly on this one.
6. Superman: Flyby (2004)
Before Man of Steel, Henry was cast in an earlier Superman film — Superman: Flyby, which was eventually scrapped.
The project was handed to Bryan Singer and became Superman Returns, starring Brandon Routh.
Henry finally played Superman nearly a decade later, but only after a long delay and significant franchise reshuffling.
7. Batman Begins (2005)
There are reports that Henry was briefly in the running to play Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins.
He says he wasn’t directly contacted, though.
"Nobody was talking to me about it," he told EW. He believes he "may have been spoken about in a room," but there was no audition.
Is Henry Cavill unlucky — or just early?
© Warner Bros. PicturesMany of Henry’s near-misses happened early in his career, before he became a bankable name.
Ironically, some of the roles he missed paved the way for better ones. Missing out on Twilight meant he wasn’t typecast. Losing Bond gave him time to play Superman.
But it’s hard to ignore the pattern. Whether due to age, timing, or shifts in studio direction, Henry seems to hover on the edge of massive franchises without fully landing them.
Even Voltron, while completed, now feels like another example of a high-profile project not getting its moment on the big screen.
Still, fans remain loyal. And with The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare just released and Highlander on the way, there’s no sign Henry is slowing down.
If anything, the fact that he’s still top of the conversation — even for roles he didn’t get — proves he’s more than just a runner-up.
