While there’s been a debate going back since the announcement of a rebooted Superman movie as to whether or not the legendary villain General Zod (formerly played by Terrance Stamp in the 1978, and 1980 Superman movies) would be making an appearance, Warner Bros. have now weighed in and confirmed that Zod will be appearing, and played not by Viggo Mortensen, but Michael Shannon.
Shannon; who earned an Oscar nomination for his role in Revolutionary Road, and further proved his worth in Werner Herzog’s Bad Lieutenant; has most recently been seen in HBO’s prolific prohibition drama Boardwalk Empire; as the creepy, and always intense, Federal Agent Van Alden; and will be appearing in Superman: Man of Steel (to give the film its full title), alongside The Tudors’ Henry Cavill; who has bagged the coveted role of the infamous superhero himself.
Director Zack Snyder (Sucker Punch) perfectly stated the draw of General Zod; who has long been a favourite of many Superman fans, who love to see the two aliens (as they both originate from the planet Krypton; where they inherited their powers of strength, speed, flight, etc) do battle; when he stated that “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.”
Snyder also believes that Shannon is “perfect for the role”; as he “is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character”; and looks forward to him joining Cavill, The Fighter‘s Amy Adams (as Superman’s love interest Lois Lane), and both Kevin Costner and Diane Lane (as Jonathan and Martha Kent respectively) when the reboot (penned by David S. Goyer and produced by Christopher Nolan) enters production in August, ahead of a December 2012 release date.
Matt Wheeldon.
Source: Deadline.
