No matter where you stand on Zack Snyder's talents as a filmmaker or how much you hated Sucker Punch, Watchmen, 300 or his remake of Dawn of the Dead, you just can't deny that he pulled off the big one today. He has caught a giant-sized and improbable fish and us grateful Superman geeks should laud him with all the praise in the world. He got Michael Shannon to play General Zod. That's just insane. If you aren't doing cartwheels of zealous joy right now then there's really no hope for you. Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures just announced the casting and very quickly Man of Steel (as it's now officially called, in probably a Chris Nolan touch to drop the 'Superman' prefix, awesome!!) has a villain that has far surpassed our expectations and wildest dreams. Snyder says;
Zod is not only one of Supermans most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others dont. Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.
I wrote on March 25th when Shannon's name first cropped up as a contender; "Every single production Shannon seems to be involved with lately is quickly overshadowed by this phenomenal screen presence. Think Revolutionary Road when he just comes in to a movie that isnt his and within seconds his trailblazing authority commands your attention and hes all you can remember when its done. Boardwalk Empire is the same. Just look at the eyes this guy has they tell a thousand tales themselves. Now Zack Snyder, you son of a Bitch you... we're all ramped up and excited for this. You have our attention. Oh boy do you have it... From a David Goyer (Batman Begins) and Jonathan Nolan (The Dark Knight) script and 'godfathered' by Chris Nolan, Man of Steel films this summer for a release Dec. 2012. Cast is phenomenal, really... Henry Cavill as Superman Amy Adams as Lois Lane Michael Shannon as General Zod Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent Diane Lane as Martha Kent