By the end of this weekend, we should have had our first look at the trailer (albeit only a teaser) of Zack Snyder's adaptation of the man in tights. With this in mind I thought It would be a fitting time to have a look at what we know so far (both definate and rumored) to get everyone in the mood for the Man of Steel.
New Faces
Superman:
First and foremost, as we all know by now, Henry Cavill the star of "Immortals", is the most recent star to carry the iconic "S" on his chest. While there was originally alot of call for long time Smallville actor Tom Welling to don the blue tights, many are now on board with Cavill and myself included are excited to see what he does with the reigns.
General Zod:
Another casting to choice to get excited about is that of Michael Shannon as Superman's Kryptonian adversary General Zod. Last played by Terence Stamp in Superman II (1980), General Zod has long been a fan favorite among the caste of Superman's enemies. I personally thought Shannon was a masterful casting choice and you need only see his performances in "Revolutionary Road" and "Boardwalk Empire" to know the role of Superman's best known enemies is in good hands.
Jor'El:
Marlon Brando has long been loved, as the father of our favorite spandex wearing extra-terrestrial, and was even digitally added into Bryan Singer's widely criticized "Superman Returns". Snyder's rehash however, has introduced a new face for Jor'El, that of Russell Crowe.
Crowe who we all know from great films such as "Gladiator" and "Cinderella Man" will play what ,we can assume from the pictures of Crowe dressed in battle armor, will be a tougher and grittier version of the Kryptonian scientist and I for one am looking forward to seeing more of a character I had always wanted more of in previous incarnations of the man in tights.
Faora:
Faora is a Kryptonian supervillain, and companion (lover, in some versions) to General Zod. Last seen on the big screen in Superman II, she was known as Ursa and portrayed by Sarah Doughlas. She has also appeared in 'Superman: The Animated Series' as Mala, and in 'Smallville' where she was known as Aethyr.(the name of a different character in the comics.) Despite her changing name, many elements of the character have stayed true throughout the various encarnations. This time round however the role of the man hating Kryptonian has gone to Antje Traue ( 5 days of war) and while she is a little known actress, I think we can expect good things.
Ma and Pa Kent:
Easily two of the most pivotal characters in the Superman universe. Jonathon and Martha Kent shape the young Kal'El into the Superman he will one day become. Filling the roles this time round we have Kevin Costner and Diane Lane. Costner was another great choice and has the acting chops to fill the shoes worn by Superman's adopted father.
Lois Lane:
Intrepid news reporter and love of Superman's life Lois lane is a challenging role for any actress. Enter Amy Adams. The perfect mix of plucky and cute, she has (In my opinion) everything needed to bring a vibrant and convincing Lois Lane to the big screen.
Perry White:
Casting Lawrence Fishburne in the role of a character that has always been portrayed as white caused quite a stir. It proved to be a short lived stir however as I think we can all agree, Fishburne was actually an inspired choice. I know comic purists might argue adamantly that Perry White should be White but no-one can say Fishburne doesnt have the acting skills to really own this role. ( or can they).
What we know, and What we think we know
*Spoilers Ahead*
The official synopsis for Man of Steel reads:
"In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time. Clark Kent/Kal-El (Cavill) is a young twenty-something journalist who feels alienated by powers beyond anyone's imagination. Transported to Earth years ago from Krypton, an advanced alien planet, Clark struggles with the ultimate question – Why am I here? Shaped by the values of his adoptive parents Martha (Lane) and Jonathan Kent (Costner), Clark soon discovers that having super abilities means making very difficult decisions. But when the world needs stability the most, it comes under attack. Will his abilities be used to maintain peace or ultimately used to divide and conquer? Clark must become the hero known as “Superman," not only to shine as the world’s last beacon of hope but to protect the ones he loves."
This synopsis, while admittedly light on details, gives us an interesting insight into Zack Snyder's Man of Steel.
From what we can glean, it seems Man of Steel will focus on the young Clark Kent and his struggle to find his place in the world, much as in the tv show Smallville.
To me, it also closely resembles the story arc of the 'Superman:Earth one', graphic novel series. A young Clark Kent, in a search for his path in life, goes to Metropolis and tries out for several jobs. Realizing he can do anything, when each interview yields an offer, he is still unsure of what he wants to do. Add the fact that earth is invaded by an alien named Tyrell (who is searching for the ship that brought Clark to earth) forcing him embrace his destiny and become earths mightiest protector, the similarities start to pile up.
Personally I enjoyed the fresh take on the Superman origin story delivered in 'Earth One' and the new more emotionally turmoiled portrayal of the young Clark. If done correctly I think it could make for a great motion picture, appealing to veteran and rookie fans alike.
Something else that has had the rumor mills a flutter was a picture of Michael Shannon in a Motion Capture suit with a what appeared to be a pole strapped to his head (for the aid of sight lines we assume) leading to speculation that General Zod may wear some kind of large armored suit, possibly similar to the one drawn by Jim Lee.
As with any Superman movie, Lex Luther's name was always going to get bounced around and Man of Steel has been no exception. From the moment the movie was announced there have been many questions about Luther and his involvement. 'Will he appear in the film?' 'How big a part will he play?' 'Will he follow the Smallville route and be a younger version of the classic baddie or will he be a classic reincarnation?'
Since the announcement of General Zod's role as the main villain however, we've come to accept that the man in tights nemesis wont be making an appearance. At least not as full appearance, rumors have been surfacing of a possible cameo role for the bald Einstein of crime, the most recent being that of Bradley Cooper being cast in the role. Unfortunately if there is any truth to these rumors were not likely to find out until it hits theaters.
Conclusion
While Zack Snyder might be holding all the answers to our Man of Steel questions, and lets face it he's not telling. It will in no way stop the speculation that will, in all probability, continue right up until the moment it opens in the cinema a year from now. All we can really hope for is that the teaser trailer, will go some of the way to answering some of our burning queries (and hopefully not create to many more to dwell on)
I hope you enjoyed this article and if I have forgotten to include anything I apologize and beg for forgiveness. I guess to sum this article I need to steal from the 2011 movie, Superman Requiem :
"In 1978 we believed a man could fly" in 2013, hopefully, we'll believe it again.