Superman actor Henry Cavill has apologised "for any confusion and misunderstanding" after claiming that the #MeToo movement means men can no longer pursue women once they have said 'no'.

Cavill, tipped as the next James Bond, said he is now too scared to chat up women in case he ends up being branded as a rapist.

His comments were shared online and widely criticised. He later apologised “for any confusion and misunderstanding”, saying he had not intended to be insensitive.

Cavill, who was previously engaged to the British showjumper, Ellen Whitaker, was asked in an interview if the #MeToo movement and revelations about predatory Hollywood men had made him reflect on his own behaviour towards women.

“There’s something wonderful about a man chasing a woman. There’s a traditional approach to that, which is nice. I think a woman should be wooed and chased, but maybe I’m old-fashioned for thinking that,” he told the Australian edition of GQ magazine.

“It’s very difficult to do that if there are certain rules in place. Because then it’s like, ‘Well, I don’t want to go up and talk to her, because I’m going to be called a rapist or something.’

“So you’re like, ‘Forget it, I’m going to call an ex-girlfriend instead, and then just go back to a relationship, which never really worked.’