Viggo Mortensen was never able to find the right hole in his schedule to play General Zod in the upcoming Superman reboot, now officially titled Man of Steel. Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures, however, landed on a fantastic alternative: Michael Shannon. Shannon was rumored foran unspecified villain role last month — the studios have announced today he will play Zod. Director Zack Snyder remarked,
“Zod is not only one of Superman’s most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t. Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.”
I could not agree more. Henry Cavill will star as Clark Kent/Superman. The supporting cast includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Martha and Jonathan Kent. Read the official announcement after the jump.
Terence Stamp portrayed General Zod to memorable effect in Superman II — Shannon is absolutely a worthy successor. Shannon excels when there is something fundamentally creepy, even inhuman about his character. In Superman II, the Kryptonian villain comes across as an autistic megalomaniac in his destruction. That is Shannon’s bread and butter, folks.Alice Eve, Diane Kruger, and Rosamund Pike are reportedly in contention to play Ursa, Zod’s partner-in-crime. I have yet to hear any names rumored for Non, the third member of the group. The official casting of Cavill, Adams, Costner, and now Shannon have all been announced on a Sunday afternoon. So check back next week for more info? (Same Metropolis time, same Metropolis channel…*)
Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan, and Deborah Snyder, Thomas Tull, and Lloyd Phillips are producing ; David S. Goyer is writing the screenplay based on a story by Goyer and Nolan. Man of Steel is scheduled for release in December 2012.
MICHAEL SHANNON TO STAR AS GENERAL ZOD IN “MAN OF STEEL” FROM WARNER BROS. PICTURES AND LEGENDARY PICTURESBURBANK, CA, April 10, 2011 – Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that Michael Shannon will star in the role of General Zod in director Zack Snyder’s new Superman film, titled “Man of Steel.”Snyder stated, “Zod is not only one of Superman’s most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t. Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.”
As General Zod, Shannon will go toe-to-toe with Henry Cavill, who plays the new Clark Kent/Superman in the film. The main cast also includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Martha and Jonathan Kent.Michael Shannon was honored with an Academy Award® nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Sam Mendes’ “Revolutionary Road,” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Shannon was most recently seen in the award-winning HBO drama series “Boardwalk Empire,” from executive producer Martin Scorsese. He will next be seen in Sony Pictures Classics’, “Take Shelter,” from director/writer Jeff Nichols.Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder are the producers of the film. The screenplay is being written by David S. Goyer based on a story by Goyer and Nolan. Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips are serving as executive producers.“Man of Steel” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
