Joe Manganiello | Joe got his big break as Flash Thompson in Sam Raimi's
Spider-Man. Since then, the actor has gone on to star as the werewolf Alcide Herveaux on HBO's
True Blood. Reportedly, Manganiello was the frontrunner to play Superman in Zack Snyder's reboot but scheduling conflicts with
True Blood preventing him from taking the role, which led to Snyder meeting with Cavill and the rest is history. Perhaps, it was fate Manganiello didn't suit up in red and blue as black will prove to be his winning color?
AGE | 36
Josh Brolin | Brolin is a bit of a favorite for Warner Bros., starring in a number of their film properties but he does have a few notable misses for them on his filmography (Jonah Hex, Gangster Squad). Sources say he's the favorite for the gig, which would be an indication that Snyder and David S. Goyer are truly looking to bring certain elements of Frank Miller's
The Dark Knight Returns to the silver screen.
AGE | 45
Matthew Goode | Goode has a history with Zack Snyder as he previously starred in the directors adaptation of
Watchmen as Ozymandias. The actor has had some sharp words in the past for the superhero genre and its fans, implying that portraying another superhero is one of the last things he'd ever wish to do again.
AGE | 35
Max Martini | Martini recently starred in Guillermo del Toro's
Pacific Rim and gave one of the film's better performances. He has a tendency to play the 'tough guy' role that would bring something different from past depictions of Gotham's Dark Knight. He's no stranger to action roles.
AGE | 43
Richard Armitage | Armitage is probably best known at this point for his role as the dwarf, Thorin Oakenshield, in
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. He also had a brief but key role in
Captain America: The First Avenger as Heinz Kruger.
AGE | 41
Ryan Gosling | At 32, Gosling is the youngest in the bunch and a bit of a wild card. The actor has let it be known in past interviews that he has no desire to star in a big, multiple-sequel spanning franchise. And unlike all the other choices, Gosling wouldn't fit the role of the older, more experienced Batman that Snyder and Goyer are reportedly seeking to cast. But he's probably the biggest name on the list and would garner a larger pool of media coverage over the other candidates. But again, his name on the list sticks out. Is he someone Warner Bros. added to Snyder's list or is he truly one of the actors the director is considering?
AGE | 32
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| The Man of Steel sequel is tentatively set for release in 2015 and will feature Superman's first encounter with Batman. The sequel has not been officially titled but screenwriter David S. Goyer theorized it could be named something like Superman vs Batman or Batman vs Superman. At San Diego Comic-Con 2013, Snyder stated that the sequel will be inspired by Frank Miller's graphic novel, The Dark Knight Returns, which featured a confrontation between a Batman and Superman that were well past they're prime. |