Well, you can’t say you didn’t see it coming. Actor Michael Shannon has been cast in Zack Snyder‘s upcoming Superman reboot which is now simply titled Man Of Steel. Shannon will play the villain, General Zod. Snyder previously denied that Zod would be the villain but it seems as if he wasn’t being entirely truthful. Shannon joins a cast that includes Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Diane Lane as Martha and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent. The casting news regarding Shannon was confirmed today by Warner Bros. and Snyder had this to say about it:
“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.”
Apparently Shannon was up against Viggo Mortensen for the role. Two honorable candidates and I personally would have been fine with either. Shannon may not be as well known as Mortensen but he certainly has the acting chops to take on the role. He was fantastic in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and he recently gave a great performance in Take Shelter. I think he’ll make a great addition to an already solid cast.
What do you think? Are you happy to see Shannon in the role?