Warner Bros. have announced that relative unknown British actor Henry Cavill has been chosen to play Superman in the upcoming Zack Snyder reboot of the film franchise.

“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,” Snyder said in the newsrelease. “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.”

Cavill, 27, is best known for his starring role in Showtime’s 'The Tudors' playing the character of Charles Brandon. He has also appeared in the 2007 fantasy film 'Stardust' and will star in the upcoming adventure movie 'Immortals'. He was also previously in contention for the role of the Man of Steel in 2006's Superman Returns, which ultimately starred Brandon Routh.

The new film, tentatively titled 'Superman: The Man of Steel', is expected to debut in theaters in December 2012. David S. Goyer is writing the script, based on a story by Goyer and Christopher Nolan, director of 'The Dark Knight' and 'Inception', who is among the movie’s producers.