Kneel Before Michael Shannon! Actor to Play Zod in Superman: Man of Steel

Kneel Before Michael Shannon! Actor to Play Zod in Superman: Man of Steel

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.”

By EdGross - Apr 10, 2011 12:04 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman

“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," Snyder stated.

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.

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comic2004
comic2004 - 4/10/2011, 1:07 PM
Very interesting...
Ryden
Ryden - 4/10/2011, 1:07 PM
Oh interesting, I was really hoping to see Shannon play Lex and to have Brainiac as the main villain. But Zod is cool. He'll do a good job.
tford14
tford14 - 4/10/2011, 1:07 PM
Zod...
Afterman
Afterman - 4/10/2011, 1:07 PM
Exellent Choice!
Kneel young Kal-El!
Dumegg
Dumegg - 4/10/2011, 1:08 PM
first Zod is in the film. then he's out. now he's
back in. Hey Snyder, make up your frickin' mind!
shane2188
shane2188 - 4/10/2011, 1:08 PM
hope he does better than he did in 8 mile
EdGross
EdGross - 4/10/2011, 1:09 PM
A friend of mine pointed out that the choice of Zod for this first movie is a good one, because it allows the series to build up in the second film to something much bigger, like Doomsday or (preferably) Darkseid. Kind of the same way that Batman Begins led into the far bigger in scope Dark Knight.
spidey1994
spidey1994 - 4/10/2011, 1:09 PM
Zod again?!?! I wanna see other villains like Brainiac or Bizzaro or Darkseid!
PaulRom
PaulRom - 4/10/2011, 1:09 PM
IMO, he looks better suited for Bizarro or even Lex. NEVER saw him as Zod...oh well. Maybe he'll be good.
soaponapope
soaponapope - 4/10/2011, 1:10 PM
aah.. i was hoping for brainiac/luthor.
DudeGuy
DudeGuy - 4/10/2011, 1:12 PM
cant wait. I love how people say "Zod again?" lol that was in the 70s! And this is a new franchise, he was bound to be in one of them. Get over it!
comic2004
comic2004 - 4/10/2011, 1:14 PM
@EdGross Ture that He does need to fight someone that will test all his powers,strength,mind to beat.Shaping up to be a good one.
RockNRollCC
RockNRollCC - 4/10/2011, 1:15 PM
very interesting...
Shasvre
Shasvre - 4/10/2011, 1:15 PM
I must admit I'm surprised, but very positive to this. :D
claybo4131
claybo4131 - 4/10/2011, 1:16 PM
I had to go on IMDB to look him up. I have never seen Boardwalk Empire cause I do not watch HBO let alone have it.

I saw that he was in Bad Boys 2, he was that KKK guy that they put in the trunk, the one whose ear was shot off by Will Smith and always kept saying "I have my rights." I also see that he was in 8 Mile, dont remember him in that, and Pearl Harbor (have that movie next time I watch it I will see who he was).

Kind of hard to see him as Zod, Terrance Stamp was memorable, big shoes to fill

I also see that he was in Jonah Hex, but I forgot about that poochscrew of garbage that was that I do not remember him in it LOL
Ranger14
Ranger14 - 4/10/2011, 1:16 PM
Oh joy...Zod and Luthor again.
Hellsing
Hellsing - 4/10/2011, 1:16 PM
hmm I thought shannon would have been a perfect lex but yeah atleast we'll get a god damn fight with Zod involved.
RoscoeFolgers
RoscoeFolgers - 4/10/2011, 1:17 PM
@Arminies- Yeah. The fights will be so uninteresting. I mean, a trained general with all the same powers as Superman? They might as well make him fight a retarded kitten.
weaponxcustoms
weaponxcustoms - 4/10/2011, 1:18 PM
odd...not a huge fan of this guy he barely moves his enormous jaw line when he talks, reminds me of Slingblade in most of his films. Hopefully its a good movie
RoscoeFolgers
RoscoeFolgers - 4/10/2011, 1:18 PM
@Claybo- He was the Mom's boyfriend in 8 Mile.

@Grif- We know. You hate things.
Sturmpionier
Sturmpionier - 4/10/2011, 1:21 PM
Didn't I see this movie when it was called Superman II?

Sorry to sound trollish, but part of the avowed problem of SR was that it was too much like the Donner Superman films. So they decide to reboot the series and state that they are creating a new universe and include...

...the villain from Superman II?

I'm not saying it won't be cool, I just have always pictured Zod as the guy who takes Superman to the next level and not the way to lead off a series.

But, I have no idea what they want to do with the character, so I'll shut up now.

EdGross
EdGross - 4/10/2011, 1:23 PM
Zod vs. Superman is a lot better than the SIXTH time Superman would go up against Luthor on the big screen (even if they do cast Luthor in this, I would imagine his role would be secondary to Zod's).
schfuture
schfuture - 4/10/2011, 1:23 PM
Disappointment :/
claybo4131
claybo4131 - 4/10/2011, 1:26 PM
Yeah I was hoping for another villain besides Luthor or even Zod, I was hoping Braniac or Darkseid or Bizarro myself.

@weaponxcustoms Now that you mentioned it you are right, he does barely movie his jawline when he speaks and sounds like Billy Bob from Sling Blade
soberchimera
soberchimera - 4/10/2011, 1:26 PM
Zod's a joke
BlackSands
BlackSands - 4/10/2011, 1:26 PM
Illustration



oh yeah.... the jokes are coming in now.....

Oh well, it was good while it lasted... and here I was thinking that they'd expand more of his movie rogues gallery.... Supes has got a TON of enemies in his long career to choose from and all we get to see are the "main" ones that keep getting rehashed. While I am a little put off by this, I'm still probably going to watch it to see how it turns out.
BlackSands
BlackSands - 4/10/2011, 1:27 PM
mgeoff88
mgeoff88 - 4/10/2011, 1:28 PM
Wow! I'm kind of surprised; after Zack Snyder said no Zod, I thought he was pretty much out as a villain.

Michael Shannon is an interesting choice. I just hope Zod isn't the only major villain.
Illuminatus
Illuminatus - 4/10/2011, 1:29 PM
You guys do realize that if Ledger had not died, Michael Shannon would've won the Academy Award that year, instead of Ledger. Even if you are disappointed in the villain chosen to be in the movie, or whatever other reason you have to NOT support this movie, please do not rip on Michael Shannon. That guy can act your faces off without even trying. He is one of the very few actors today that could compete with Brando, Peck, O'Toole, and Day-Lewis.
CaptainOtter
CaptainOtter - 4/10/2011, 1:30 PM
I'm cool with Zod. It works for me. But I don't know about Michael Shannon. He's just always been "that guy" in the background, who usually looks kinda creepy but not in the good way.
Dumegg
Dumegg - 4/10/2011, 1:31 PM
it would have been nice to see some new superman
villians. he DOES have more than just Lex and Zod.
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