While we’ve know for sometime that The Dark Knight’s Christopher Nolan was producing a reboot of the Superman franchise; to be directed by Zack Snyder (300); and recently heard that British actor Henry Cavill (The Tudors) would be stepping in to play the legendary DC superhero, there has been little movement in the way of supporting cast until now; as recent reports suggest Kevin Costner is being considered for a major part in the film.
Whilst still unconfirmed by any official sources at this point, there is apparently growing interest in hiring the Dances With Wolves/Prince of Thieves star to play what has been referred to as a “key role” in the movie; most likely the role of Superman’s adoptive father on Earth; the often ill-fated Jonathan Kent.
Most people know the basic story of the Superman comics; which feature an infant alien (from the planet Krypton) being sent away from his home-world just prior to its destruction, and arriving on Earth with super-strength, super-speed, super-hearing, the ability to fly, the ability to shoot laser beams from his eyes, and the inability to correctly wear underwear, before attempting to blend in as a regular person (seen as how he looks like us), and use his gifts to help those in need; yet despite the new movie being a franchise reboot, it won’t be an origin story.
David S. Goyer (Batman Begins) is writing the screenplay from a story crafted by Nolan and himself; which is set to bring the classic superhero thoroughly into the modern age; and while there’s still no start date for Superman: Man of Steel (to give the film its full title), we do know that it’s due to be released in December 2012.
