Henry Cavill is the new Superman!

The torch has been officially been passed from Brandon Routh to the brit Henry Cavill as he becomes the most recognizable superhero of all time – Superman. According to Deadline.com, Cavill will don the cape and the red and blue tights under director Zack Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan and writer David S. Goyer. Those three sound like they’ll be making magic together with their newly minted thespian.

Cavill, 27, is currently working on Immortals where he plays the he-man Greek warrior Theseus who battles mythological gods. He’s mostly known for his TV work in Showtime’s The Tudors and Cavill.

Zack Snyder, released this statement: “In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time, and I am honored to be a part of his return to the big screen. I also join Warner Bros., Legendary and the producers in saying how excited we are about the casting of Henry. He is the perfect choice to don the cape and S shield.”

According to some sources, The Social Network’s Armie Hammer, who played Tyler Winklevoss, along with True Blood’s Joe Manganiello, were strong candidates.

The new Superman is targeted for release in December 2012.