Henry Cavill: Hollywood's new super-sexy Superman

Buff British actor Henry Cavill is on the verge of superstardom with his turn as Superman in the DC Comics reboot, Man of Steel.

The 29-year-old heartthrob hasn't had an easy road to the Kryptonite-sensitive superhero.

He was cast as Superman in McG's planned Superman film in 2004, but then replaced with Brandon Routh (who?) when Bryan Singer took over the project and made the 2006's mediocre Superman Returns.

And then he lost the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire to Robert Pattinson, who also pipped him at the post to play Edward Cullen in the Twilight series.

It gets worse. Henry lost the part of James Bond in Casino Royale to Daniel Craig, who soon labelled Henry the "unluckiest man in Hollywood". That's about to change.

After appearing as Charles Brandon in period TV drama The Tudors, Henry hit the big time last year with the box-office hit Immortals, and finally, as the man of steel in Zack Snyder's 2013 Superman film, also starring Russell Crowe as Superman's father Jor-El, and Amy Adams as Lois Lane.

Judging by the standing ovation he received from fans when he entered the room at San Diego Comic-Con on the weekend, Henry is on the right track with his take on the lycra-suited superhero, originally played by Christopher Reeve in the 1978 film.

Looking handsome and ripped, Henry paid tribute to the diehard comic-book fans.

"'You guys who know everything about him. You're there through thick and thin," he told the fanboys.

"[Man of Steel is] for everyone else out there as well who hasn't quite experienced what Superman can be, hasn't gone through comics books, hasn't felt that world and seen how it changed.

"And with this, hopefully it can bring a modern version which everyone can associate with."

Don't know about you, but we'll associate with Henry any day.

The newly released Man of Steel movie poster.

Comic-Con fan-boys cried when they got the first look at Henry in the teaser trailer for the film, set to be released publicly this week.

"Man of Steel looks to be the Superman epic that many have been waiting for," wrote MovieHole's Olivia Marne, who saw the trailer at Comic-Con.

Marne added that "we're in for a much deeper, more emotional Superman blockbuster than we've ever seen before — this won't be just the story of a man who has the ability to magically punch through walls, it'll be the affecting story of an illegal alien trying to find his place in the world … while staying one step ahead of an out-and-out psychopath [General Zod, played by Michael Shannon]."

Man of Steel due for release in June, 2013.

Do you think Henry will make a good Superman?

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