Superman

Kat Graham wants to see a major twist in the DC cinematic universe ... telling us it's time for a minority to play Superman.

We got Kat Wednesday at LAX ... and the 'Vampire Diaries' actress said it's time to break the mold and have a black, Latino or Asian actor do the Man of Steel thing.

Kat gives us her A-list for the role. As we told you, there's a report Henry Cavill is hanging up the blue tights and red cape.

4:47 PM PT -- Cavill just posted an odd video with a Superman action figure ... but still no clear answer as to whether or not he'll wear the cape.

When ya look up in the sky ... it might be a bird, might be a plane, but it damn sure won't be Henry Cavill -- he's leaving the role of Superman.

Henry was in negotiations with Warner Bros. to put on the blue tights and red cape for a cameo in its upcoming "Shazam!" movie, but talks broke down and both sides walked away ... according to The Hollywood Reporter.

HC bolting leaves a couple of HUGE holes in the DC cinematic universe, since Ben Affleck already ditched the Batman suit.

Cavill played the Man of Steel 3 times and had been expected to do it again for a solo Superman flick and a 'Justice League' sequel. While the Kal-El role is over and done for Henry ... we hear it's not a bitter split, and the door is still open for him to work with Warner Bros. in the future.

Word is Warner Bros is in the market for a couple of young guns to fill Aflleck and Cavill's rubber boots. The only good news is they've still got Gal Gadot, Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller on board as Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Flash.

"Superman" star Margot Kidder was battling the flu just 4 days before she died, and talked about her struggle during what appears to be her final interview.

Kidder phoned in to “The Drew and Mike Show” in Detroit on May 9 to promote an upcoming appearance at Motor City Comic Con. She told the hosts she was "in bed with flu" because she's "puking every hour and a half." Kidder sounded rough, very raspy -- and, even though she was in good spirits, she said the flu battle was "not fun."

As we previously reported ... Margot was found dead Sunday at her home in Livingston, Montana. Cops responded to a call that Margot was unconscious and not breathing. Her death is under investigation, but police have said they don't suspect foul play.

Kidder was 69.

Chrissy Metz says she'd love to throw on a cape and save the day on camera -- now the harder question ... DC or Marvel?

We got the 'This Is Us' star Saturday at LAX, where we asked about a revelation she made in her novel 'This Is Me' regarding abuse she suffered as a child. She offers some heartfelt advice to girls going through similar situations ... and then pivoted to spandex tights.

One of Allison Mack's co-stars on "Smallville" says she was fairly normal while shooting the show, and never showed any signs she might have been part of an alleged sex cult.

We got Sam Jones III -- who starred alongside Mack for 3 seasons -- and he tells us she had a boyfriend at the time, and he never suspected she would get arrested for alleged ties to the self-help group, Nxivm -- for which she's accused of recruiting women to be "sex slaves."

Smallville's Pete Ross offered his ex-castmate some advice ahead of her trial, where she's facing sex trafficking and conspiracy charges ... and could get 15 years in prison. His tip has to do with the residuals from the show, which -- as Sam showed us -- are still pretty fat.

It's time for fans to decide once and for all who tops in the DC superhero world ... by bidding on vintage Batman and Superman movie costumes.

Michael Keaton's Batsuit from the 1992 sequel "Batman Returns" and Christopher Reeve's iconic Superman costume from the eponymous 1978 film are both on the auction block. Check out the pics ... there's even an up-close shot of the original tag still intact and labeled for Reeve.

The Man of Steel "muscle tunic" has a slight edge with bidding starting at $40k ... bidding starts at $35k for the Batsuit. Fanboys and girls can bid online at Nate D. Sanders Auctions 'till January 26.

Fun fact -- Reeve refused to wear an extra muscle suit under his costume, and instead trained with famed bodybuilder and Darth Vader actor Dave Prowse to bulk up.

Here it is ... the first time Superman has touched down on the set of "Supergirl" ... and it's bad news for anyone planning to kick the guy below the knees.

Check out Tyler Hoechlin in his full Kal-El getup on the set of the CW show in Vancouver -- the dude looks pretty good ... he's even got the front hair curl in full effect.

By the way, Supes even took a few selfies with some of the people on the set ... 'cause that's how a super hero gotta do these days.

Tracy McGrady has a snowball's chance in hell when it comes to making an MLB roster ... so says Superman himself, Dean Cain.

The former "Lois & Clark" star -- who played a little pro football back in the '80s -- was brutally honest about the NBA star's future the other day ... telling us the odds of McGrady getting a pro pitching gig are "very, very slim."

As we previously reported, McGrady is gunning for a spot on an independent pro team in TX ... and says he's been working out every day with a pitching coach to make his baseball dream come true.

"Man of Steel" wasn't fun ... it was too dark ... and felt more like a Batman movie than a Superman flick ... so says Ilya Salkind, the guy behind the Christopher Reeve version.

Ilya is the guy who brought Superman to the big screen way back in the 1970s. He produced "Superman" and "Superman II" ... i.e. his opinion matters.

So when our photog caught up to him this weekend in L.A., he had to get his thoughts on the new, beefed up version ... which has grossed almost $300 million in the U.S. alone.

Salkind however is NOT a fan. First, he says the movie is "okay", trying to keep the peace. But a female friend blows up his spot, shouting out, "Tell the truth!"

If anyone knows about what it takes to be a superhero it's Henry Cavill -- Superman himself -- so when he arrived to LAX yesterday, we had to ask about the new life-saver in town ... George Zimmerman.

We asked Henry if it's possible for a guy to be considered a "hero" even after millions of people branded him a villain for life -- but ya gotta listen to the way our photog poses the question, it's incredible.

As we previously reported, cops say GZ helped rescue a family of 4 from an overturned car after the driver lost control on a Florida highway last week ... just days after he was acquitted in the Trayvon Martin case.

There's more ... our photog also asked Henry about the recently announced Superman vs. Batman movie ... and who he thinks would win in a fight between the two.

Dean Cain is a Superman.

Here's the 26-year-old "Lois and Clark" actor back in 1993 (left) -- and twenty years later, the 46-year-old "Ripley's Believe It or Not" host at the Philly Comic-con last month (right).

Kevin Coster (58) plays Superman's Earth dad Pa Kent in the 2013 action adventure film "Man of Steel" -- while Russell Crowe (49) plays Superman's space dad Jor-El on the planet Krypton.

Henry Cavill is confident ... his Britishness WILL NOT get in the way of his portrayal of Superman in the upcoming "Man of Steel" movie.

Of course, Superman is considered the greatest American superhero of all time ... sorry Batman, Iron Man, Spider-Man, etc. ... and Cavill will be the first non-Yank to play the role.

In fact, he even said he would support an American actor playing James Bond ... as long as that person has the chops.

And if you don't care about Superman ... watch the clip anyway, 'cause Henry is really, really good looking.

Back in 2000, Cage told police someone jacked his authentic copy of Action Comics #1 -- a 1938 classic in which Superman was introduced. Cage had the comic insured ... but it's unclear how much money he got from the insurance company after police confirmed the theft.

Now, after years of searching, investigators found the comic -- valued at more than $1.5 million -- inside of a storage locker in L.A.

Law enforcement sources tell us Cage is NOT a suspect and insist the actor has been helpful with the investigation.

As for the comic -- we're told it's being held as evidence for now ... but the item will eventually be returned to the insurance company.

Look, up in the sky! It's a bird, it's a plane, it's ... the guy who played Jimmy Olsen on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" filing for divorce.

Justin Whalin filed for the Big D last week from his hot wife, Reina Flynn, this according to documents obtained by The Daily Planet TMZ.

The dynamic duo had been married for three years -- they have no minor children.