Justice League: Ciaran Hinds Reveals Key Villain Details

Having played brief but significant parts in a lot of very good movie, Ciaran Hinds probably isn't as famous as he really ought to be. He's certainly not the kind of recognisable figure you'd immediately pick out of a line-up, unless you've been conscientiously following his career - but that's sort of the point of being a character actor.

His upcoming role in Justice League - which he says he may have earned because of Zack Snyder's fondness for Excalibur (which influenced Batman v Superman a lot) - probably won't change that much either, since he's probably going to be unrecognisable thanks to his mo-cap work.

By the sound of it, the villain won't look anything like he did in the comics, though there may also be a change from how he looked in the cut scene from Batman v Superman. Hinds has spoken to The Independent recently to reveal how he tackled the performance, revealing just how much of him will be on-screen.

He says he performed the role via motion-capture with cameras strapped to him, while wearing a “very tight and embarrassing” suit covered with sensors. “Basically they’re going to construct something, digitally, and then they will use my eyes and mouth.”

He also revealed that he turned to friend Liam Neeson - who has experience with the medium thanks to A Monster Calls:

“He sent me a little pamphlet of stuff – with him looking much more elegant than I was, I have to say.”

Most interestingly, Hinds also reveals something of Steppenwolf's backstory and his dynamic with Darkseid, which paints him as far less of an actual outright villain:

“He’s old, tired, still trying to get out of his own enslavement to Darkseid, [but] he has to keep on this line to try and take over worlds.”

Could that mean he ultimately turns against Darkseid? Could the Justice League use their strained relationship to offer him a way out of servitude to help bring down his master?

What do you think? Share your reactions below in the comments thread.