The chock-full-of-superheroes Justice League movie was released in theaters this weekend, and all anybody could talk about was the injustice done to Superman's philtrum - the vertical groove of flesh between the nose and top lip.
Actor Henry Cavill, who plays the man of steel, had his mustache conspicuously removed for the new Warner Bros. film thanks to CGI magic, but something was still off, and audiences had a difficult time putting their finger on it.
But despite the awkward and unnatural appearance of the invisi-stache, there is a simple explanation as to why Cavill's face required some digital tampering.
First of all, there are spoilers ahead for those who haven't seen Cavill's previous appearance as Superman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
For those wondering why Superman is even in the Joss Whedon-helmed flick after his unfortunate demise at the end of Dawn of Justice is thanks to the cinematic device of found footage. However, said footage required a digital makeover.
The hunky actor was in the middle of filming the upcoming Mission: Impossible 6 when his services were required back for Justice League reshoots. Because of contractual obligations with Paramount for his character in MI:6 to sport a 'stache, he was strictly forbidden to shave it. As a result, Warner Bros. had to manipulate the actor's face, during post-production.
“What we do is we try and pull it back from the top lip as much as possible, so they kind of wax it up, and then I have dots all over my face. And they try and put dots, which are barely visible, sort of in the various points on the face," Cavill explained in an interview.
According to Vulture, the digital post-production procedure is rumored to have cost Warner Bros. millions of dollars.
Cavill weighed in on what he calls the "moustache fiasco" in an Instagram post.
Dear followers,[I]t is time to finally set the record straight in this moustache fiasco. Pictured above, is not a set on MI6 but is in fact the latest in a series of weapons being designed by Warner Bros and Paramount Studios to combat the entity known as "Henry Cavill's Moustache".
There has been no discussion over whether to shave or not to shave for the JL reshoots, simply a relentless campaign to put an end to the seemingly inexorable conquest of this despotic 'stache. It is not a question of IF I should shave - it is a question of how can we possibly be victorious against such a beast without bringing our own doom raining down upon us.
Warner Bros could've incorporated a plot twist.
The alternative seems far more amusing than the final cut.
Poor guy.
Still, people couldn't take their eyes off of him.
This could be a suggestion for the bonus feature portion of the film's Bluray release.
Justice League opened to mixed reviews, but whatever grievances critics may have had with the film could've been forgiven with this version of Superman.
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