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Directing Superman
🕑 Added 2022-02-28 15:00:09 +0000 UTCThis was the second February story for Luke K. DeAn, one of the Bosa Tier patrons, and features a bodyswap between Henry Cavill and Zack Snyder.
âOkay, cut! Time out, everyone. Take a break, get some water. Henry, before you go anywhere, letâs just have a quick chat.â
A heavy sigh escaped the lips of A-List actor Henry Cavill as the directorâs voice interrupted the scene they had been in the process of shooting. It had been their ninth pass at the scene and they were almost eleven hours into that dayâs shoot on a film that was already two weeks behind schedule, so nobody had been happy to hear the director write off their latest attempt. Despite the displeasure, none of them were actually surprised; such interruptions and schedule issues were to be expected when working with a perfectionist like Zack Snyder. The director had a very clear vision for his projects and it didnât matter how long it took, he was going to get the scene finished in exactly the fashion that he wanted it to be.
With some reluctance, the hunky British actor stomped towards the directorâs chair. He wasnât fooled by the smile on Snyderâs face; the director was less than impressed with what his lead actor had been offering. This wasnât the first time that Henry had been summoned for a private chat with Zack that day, as the consultations had become something of a regular occurrence throughout the shooting of the Man of Steel sequel. At first Henry had been willing to put it down to the extended period since his last portrayal of Superman in Justice League, but despite his growing relaxation back into the familiar role, he apparently still wasnât providing the performance that the director was looking for.
Although he was harboring continually growing frustrations towards the director (certainly not helped by the tiredness that had been brought on by such an intensive filming day), Henry hid those feelings behind a polite smile as he approached Zack. You were all but begging to play Superman again, the actor reminded himself. This is the price you have to pay. Suck it up, Cavill! Heâd been hired to do a job and he certainly wasnât the type to go rogue and start beefing with the director, not unless the older man did anything to really upset him which the optimistic actor didnât believe was in line with Zackâs character. An uptight perfectionist? Sure. Not a megalomaniac though.
âHenry, this just isnât working right now,â Zack declared somewhat dramatically while scratching at the base of his skull. âIâd like to try something a little different, if thatâs alright with you. A little⌠untraditional, you might say, but I would need your verbal agreement before I proceeded.â
Although confused by the directorâs bizarre wording, Henry quickly decided that his eagerness to get the dayâs shoot over and done with was a greater driving force than the seed of apprehension that those words had planted. âOf course,â he replied with a nod, âWhat have you got for me?â
The six-foot-one actor watched as the director fished an object out of his jacket pocket and was more than a little confused at what was produced. It appeared to be some type of jewelry piece, with hoops that wrapped around Zackâs fingers and thumb as well as a red gemstone that now sat in the palm of his hand. After the item was firmly fixed into place, the director then extended that same hand out to indicate he was expecting a handshake. Despite his intense bewilderment at Zackâs behavior, Henry consented but as soon as their hands were clasped with the red jewel between their palms, the most intense chill the actor had ever experienced rippled right through his muscular body.
Henryâs initial response was to try and jerk his hand away but strangely (as he knew he was easily the stronger of the pair) he just couldnât break the directorâs grip. No matter how hard he struggled, the actor was completely trapped; Zack suddenly had the strength of a thousand men and there was no way Henry could compete. The bitter frost that had spread through the actorâs body persisted to the point of pain and even kept him from forcing out a desperate plea for Zack to let him go. All rational thought fled Henryâs mind and he was left to conclude that he was having some sort of cardiac episode or that the director had exposed him to some fast-acting poison.
The truth was actually quite far removed from both of those possibilities and indeed was actually far beyond anything Henry might have seriously considered to be happening. As the two men locked eyes, the hunky actor was startled to discover an almost demonic glee hidden behind the directorâs eyes. Zack was clearly reveling in whatever was happening to Henry, but the Superman actor couldnât understand for the life of him why the director would cause such harm to his lead actor. Couldnât Zack see that he would have an absolute PR nightmare on his hands if a Hollywood A-Lister died while alone on set with him?
All of a sudden Henry experienced a severe pulling sensation as if somebody had tied him to a rapidly accelerating vehicle, although the actorâs physical form didnât move even an inch in response to the strange phenomenon. Henry would later learn that it had been the moment where his soul had been ripped out of his own body and deposited into the directorâs body. It wasnât a one-way experience either, as Zackâs own consciousness was passing right back through the magical contraption to spread itself out in Henryâs much larger body. Given he had been the initiator of the swap, the director didnât experience any of the pain during the transfer that his leading man did, but both men found their sight failing them before being restored a second later - only now from the position of their new body!
Henryâs jaw dropped as he stared across at his own grinning face. But⌠how? He was in such a state of shock that he failed to realize he had regained the ability to move until his doppelganger ripped their hand free. They took the magical piece of jewelry too, prompting Henry to let out a cry of pain at how his fingers were twisted by the forceful removal of the item. It was that exclamation that alerted Henry both to his restored capabilities and the distinctly incorrect voice that had come forth from his mouth. It took a few moments but the actor quickly identified that he wasnât looking directly across at his own face but rather up at it. He had somehow gotten shorter.
âFiguring it out now?â Zack asked from within Henryâs body, folding his massive arms over his powerful chest. The directorâs attention was immediately caught by how the biceps bulged beneath the tight Superman suit and his stolen eyes lit up in excitement for a brief moment before he locked eyes with the real Henry Cavill once more. âBefore you start freaking out though, I want you to think rationally about this. Weâll be able to fly through the filming process - no pun intended - now that I can deliver the performance that I wanted for my film. No more falling behind schedule! Thatâs what you wanted, wasnât it?â Henry wanted to protest that he hadnât wanted it to the extent of having his body stolen, but the director continued: âBesides, you gave your consent. The magic wouldnât have worked unless you were willing to let me help you.â
Still struggling to comprehend the events that had just occurred, the actor glanced down at the unfamiliar hands and the more slender body he was currently occupying. Now that he was fully aware of what had happened, he couldnât help but focus on just how small and weak he felt! It had easily been at least a decade since he had last fit into size medium clothing but now the sleeves of Zackâs tee were loose around his thinner arms. The only point of tightness was around his stomach where there was a slight gut which itself was a far cry from the tight core and rippling abs of Henryâs own body. Oh, how he missed them already!
âI didnât know I was consenting to this,â he protested weakly, wincing as he heard the directorâs voice speaking his words. âCome on, Zack. This isnât right and you know it! Weâre friends, arenât we? Just switch us back and I promise Iâll deliver the performance you were looking for. Donât do this.â
Henryâs pleas for an immediate restoration to his rightful body were quickly met by laughter and the other man shaking his head. âI couldnât switch us back right now even if I wanted to,â the body-swapped director claimed, âItâll take at least forty-eight hours for the magic in that jewel to recharge.â
âForty-eight hours?!â Henry cried, his eyes bulging in shock and dismay. âYouâre messing with me, arenât you? Tell me this isnât really happening. Tell me this is just a dream - a nightmare!â
Zack unfurled his arms and slapped his hands down on Henryâs shoulders, with the force of the contact causing the actor to flinch. âLike you said, weâre friends. I donât lie to my friends,â he replied, speaking calmly as if their conversation was about something as ordinary as a grocery order. âTrust me, this will be so much better for everyone. We might actually finish filming by the end of the month! Donât worry about being in the directorâs chair either. Weâll meet every morning and Iâll brief you on what I want you to do so nobody wonders why Zack Snyder is acting all weird. These next three weeks will be over before you know it and then youâll be back in this big beefy body of yours!â
It took Henry several seconds to pick up on the information Zack had so casually slipped into his last remark. âWait, three weeks?! I thought you said that youâd switch us back in forty-eight hours!â His voice - no, Zackâs voice - had risen to a yell as his face twisted into an expression of rage. Despite the intensity of his reaction though, the director continued to wear a smug grin like he had innocently stumbled upon a winning lottery ticket.
âI never said that,â Zack pointed out, âI just said that the magic wouldnât recharge for another forty-eight hours. Weâll swap back once filming wraps up and Iâll do nothing unsightly in your body in the meantime, you have my word. Now, keep your voice down. People will be coming back to the set any moment now and you donât want them to think their directorâs had a mental breakdown from the stress, do you?â
The scarcely hidden threat in those words sent a shiver down Henryâs spine. Given he had never anticipated that Zack would go to such extreme measures to bring his vision to reality, Henry knew that it wouldnât be good for him to underestimate the director. Just a few minutes ago the actor would have laughed off the idea of being body-switched but Zack had accomplished that, so who knew what else he could do to pull Henry in line?
âOkay,â the actor mumbled in defeated fashion, bowing his head in a display of submission. Just as the director had predicted, the crew were beginning to return to the set and they would soon be looking to Henry for direction, as well as glaring daggers at him when his back was turned, misguidedly under the impression that he was the reason they were still working at such a late hour.
âI knew youâd understand!â Henry flinched once more as the other man slapped him on the arm in what would appear to everyone else on set as a friendly gesture. From his perspective though, that simple action was laced with mockery and there was absolutely nothing he could do but stay silent and take it.
âNow, why donât you get everyone in position?â Zack suggested while rolling his broad shoulders and tensing the muscles in the powerful arms he had inherited from the lead actor, âIâve got a feeling that the next take is going to be just what the director was looking for and then we can finally all go home⌠right, Zack?â
The actor just nodded, too conquered to even offer any more words, but that was enough to please his director-turned-tormentor. âGood talk, buddy! Iâm sure youâll have fun directing your first film. Itâs a real rush, but itâs a pretty different game to acting. Oh! Speaking of acting, I guess itâs finally time for me to show you how to be a better Superman, huh? Maybe you could take some notes.â Henry silently seethed while Zack took a few steps back and sighed dramatically. The director couldnât leave without offering one more biting comment at the actorâs expense though: âWorking with actors is the toughest part of any directorâs job, didnât you know?â
Youâre gonna live to regret this, Snyder. Henry glared at the sight of the broad back muscles (his muscles!) retreating towards the set and shook his head. Just you waitâŚ
