Henry Cavill, known for his performances in The Witcher and Man of Steel, has confirmed that he, like the rest of us, is a nerd. The 42-year-old actor has proclaimed himself a nerd over the years and admitted to having geeky passions and hobbies. Cavill is a dedicated gamer, a fan of fantasy literature, and a Warhammer enthusiast. Seeing someone who embodies masculinity openly embrace his nerdiness is heartwarming, as he becomes passionate while discussing the things that interest him.
This shouldn’t be all that surprising when stopping to think back on the roles Cavill has played over the years, which include Superman in Man of Steel (2013), Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Justice League (2017) and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021), and Geralt of Rivia in Netflix‘s The Witcher before exiting the series in 2022. In addition to his superhero and fantasy roles, the Argylle (2024) actor also has a soft spot for animated shows.
In a 2022 BBC 1 Radio interview, Cavill was asked about his geeky obsessions while promoting Netflix’s Enola Holmes 2 (2022), and he mentioned the animated series Arcane as another geeky obsession, and, honestly, no one can blame him. The Netflix hit series, which premiered in 2021, is set in the League of Legends universe and revolves around the escalating unrest between two contrasting worlds, the utopian, rich city of Piltover and the oppressed and impoverished undercity of Zaun.
At the heart of the story are the two iconic League of Legends champions, sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), and how the conflict between the cities has shaped their familial connection. Their relationship is tested amidst the clashing convictions and arcane technologies. With a premise like this, Cavill’s interest in the animated series makes sense.
How Was Henry Cavill Introduced to ‘Arcane’?
- Release Date
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2021 – 2024
- Network
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Netflix
- Showrunner
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Christian Linke
- Directors
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Barth Maunoury, Marietta Ren, Christelle Abgrall
- Writers
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Amanda Overton, Nick Luddington, Mollie Bickley St. John, Ben St. John, Giovanna Sarquis, Henry G.M. Jones
Henry Cavill discovered Arcane a few years ago after the series was recommended to him. During an interview with BBC Radio 1 in 2022, Cavill opened up about watching the series with his girlfriend, Natalie Viscuso, and was instantly locked into the storyline. “I went home immediately, and I was like ‘Natalie, I was told by this guy at work that I should watch Arcane,‘” Cavill said to Plumb. The rest was history as he binged the series with Viscuso. “I couldn’t stop watching it, and it got really late,” he added. He’s one of many who hold the cultural phenomenon in the highest regard due to its top-quality animation, dark tone, and emotionally charged storyline.
Since its premiere in 2021, the series has astounded audiences and earned critical acclaim. It has drawn in longtime, dedicated League of Legends fans, as well as a new audience that has become deeply attached to the characters and story, even those who may not have been familiar with the universe. Cavill joins a long list of new viewers and, again, it doesn’t come as a shock given that he notably missed a call from Zack Snyder to tell him that he had been cast as Superman in the 2013 film Man of Steel because he was occupied with a game of World of Warcraft.
For those who needed another opinion before diving into the Emmy-winning series, the Man of Steel himself, with all of his geeky credentials, has given Arcane his stamp of approval, so there aren’t any excuses left to delay tuning in. It exceeds other video game-to-television adaptations and is easily bingeable. In fact, you won’t be able to get enough as each episode manages to get better than the last.
What Is ‘Arcane’ About, and Why Did It Catch Henry Cavill’s Attention?
‘Arcane’ Is One of the Best Shows on Netflix
Netflix’s official synopsis of Arcane is the following:
“Amid the stark discord of twin cities, Piltover and Zaun, two sisters fight on rival sides of a war between magic technologies and clashing convictions.”
The series stars Hailee Steinfeld as Vi and Ella Purnell as Jinx, along with Katie Leung, Harry Lloyd, Kevin Alejandro, Reed Shannon, Yuri Lowenthal, and many more. This ensemble is a significant part of what makes Arcane stand out as a unique game-to-series adaptation. They make the characters compelling enough for audiences to become emotionally invested in them, which is what makes it the best fantasy series on Netflix (sorry, The Witcher), along with the phenomenal animation and the remarkable storytelling. Series creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee accomplished what most video game adaptations have struggled to achieve. Arcane defied the odds and avoided becoming the next series that Netflix quickly cancels.
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There are two seasons, both of which have earned a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics. While some have argued that Season 1 is better than Season 2, they are equally captivating. The stakes were high in Season 1, but they’re nearly the same in the second season, leaving viewers feeling the tension as each episode ends and the next one begins. There’s never a dull moment, and everything, from the character development and exceptional writing to the incredible visuals and intense fight sequences, has established its legacy as one of the greatest shows in the 21st century.
One of the best scenes in Arcane that confirms the incredible attention to detail in the animation is when Vi’s (Steinfeld) back tattoo is finally revealed in Season 2, Episode 8, titled “Killing Is a Cycle.” The tattoo was gradually teased throughout Season 1, leading up to its reveal in the third act of Season 2. It depicts machinery and smoke, which represent her love for Jinx and her longing to have a relationship with her. There are genuine twists and turns that, as a viewer, you won’t see coming, and we won’t spoil it for you, but it’s a show you don’t want to miss out on.
What’s Next for the ‘League of Legends’ Animated Series?
Will ‘Arcane’ Return for Season 3?
For those of us who were expecting a third season of Arcane, we were sadly mistaken. In an interview with TechRadar, Linke and Yee confirmed that Arcane would conclude after Season 2. “It was clear early on that the story we wanted to tell would fit into two seasons,” they said. While the storyline of Arcane has come to a close, there’s still plenty left to explore in the League of Legends universe.
Riot Games has hinted and teased fans that they will be exploring other characters and stories in future projects, and the proof is in Season 2’s ending, which leaves the door open for future storylines involving different characters, so we might be returning to Piltover and Zaun sooner than we think. Fans definitely want to see more of Vi and Caitlyn (Leung)’s relationship, and that was a door the creators left open, and, of course, they still need to confirm whether Jinx’s storyline is set in stone or if there’s more there to explore. Arcane is streaming on Netflix.
