Superman: The Man of Steel - Snyder! Nolan! ZOD!!!

[DC 536]

Credit: AICN

 

Zack Snyder To Direct The Re-Rebirth Of SUPERMAN!

Beaks here...

 

Deadline's Mike Fleming has the scoop! As probably should've been expected, Warner Bros. has brought together its two geek-friendly visionaries - Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder - to reinvent what should be the studio's most valuable franchise after the HARRY POTTER series concludes. It's hard not to get giddy at the thought of a Snyder-directed, Nolan-produced SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL. The screenplay is being written by David Goyer, and it's expected the film will be completed in time to clean up during the 2012 holiday season.

 

Looking over the directors who were allegedly in the running, it appears this gig was Snyder's to either lose or turn down. Though I would've been interested in seeing what Duncan Jones, Darren Aronofsky or Matt Reeves might've done with the character, the studio needed a filmmaker both comfortable with working on a large scale under crushing expectations, and capable of delivering tentpole production value. That's why this was only ever going to go to Snyder or Tony Scott - with Jonathan Liebesman lurking as a dark horse (provided BATTLE: LOS ANGELES lives up to the Comic Con hype).

 

Now the big question: does this mean THE MAN OF STEEL's tone is going to be darker than, say, Supes getting hammered and straightening the Leaning Tower of Pisa? I hope not. Though Snyder and Nolan clearly share a pessimistic view of human nature, Superman should - for now, at least - appeal to our better angels. This appeared to be the direction in which Goyer was headed when he took on the scripting chores - and I assume it still is. It's just very easy to see Snyder and Nolan working each other into a nihilistic frenzy. Maybe that's the Superman we deserve today.

Villain To Be General Zod!

 

Update 4:03 PM PT: This just in from The Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit - Superman's villain in THE MAN OF STEEL will be General Zod!

Update 4:37 PM PT: Geoff Boucher of the LA Times' "Hero Complex" blog gets the first comment from Snyder. Nothing revelatory, but this is quote is fairly interesting...

 

“I think he is viable, yes,” Snyder said. “He endures. We all want to know, ‘How will he come to us now?’ He is the biggest and the baddest of them all. The greatest of them all, right? We all want to know how the next chapter takes shape. I want to know how it will take shape.”

Zack Snyder, who did an amazing job on Watchmen (and the Dawn of the Dead remake too), working from a Chris Nolan script with Zod as the villain is an awesome combination.

 

Let the speculation on casting begin.

[etz 78]

Tom Welling for Superman

[Maxximus 353]

Never happen. It's ideal, but It'll never happen. I betting Seth Rogan.

[Guest Jayfunk]

I liked the last superman he didn't a great job and was also awesome in Scott Pilgram vs the world

[Paul 584]

New Superman Revealed

 

After much speculation, relative unknown Henry Cavill has landed one of the most coveted roles in Hollywood. The British actor will play Superman (aka Clark Kent, as if you didn’t know) in Zack Synder’s still-untitled Superman film, set to be produced by Christopher Nolan.

 

If you’re wondering who the heck Henry Cavill is, you’re probably not alone. Cavill is best known for his role on the Showtime series “The Tudors,” and for playing the young Albert Mondego in the 2002 film The Count of Monte Cristo. He also stars in the upcoming Tarsem Singh film The Immortals, set to be released this November. I’ve been really looking forward to Tarsem’s follow-up to The Fall, but this casting announcement has skyrocketed my anticipation of that film. I’m glad to see Cavill get a chance to step into that iconic suit and take flight for Snyder.

 

The 28-year-old actor has had quite the history with franchise projects in the past: he auditioned for Chris Nolan’s Batman Begins but lost to fellow Brit Christian Bale, tried out for the new James Bond but was edged out by Daniel Craig, and was extremely close to actually playing Superman himself in Superman Returns, considered a frontrunner before Bryan Singer joined the project.

 

What do you think of Cavill as The Man of Steel? Would you have rather seen Armie Hammer (The Social Network), Matthew Goode (Watchmen), or Joe Manganiello (“True Blood”), all rumored for this role at some point? The new Superman film will be released in December of 2012, but until then, sound off in the comments.

 

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y296/TWOstar/Cavill-Superman.jpg

 

Credit: Filmonic.com

[Guest Phil]

honestly can't believe they cast a Brit as Superman. I thought it was one of those roles that were custom made for the yanks! What next, an australian Bond?!?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oh, wait...

[Maxximus 353]

I'M JUST REALLY GLAD THAT HE'S NOT BLACK!

 

...if you say it loud enough for everyone to hear then it's not racism. =D

[DC 536]

Following on from the news that Henry Cavill has been cast in the title role and adding fuel to the story in the first post, AICN (via Latino Review) are reporting that Ursa (Zod's right-hand woman) is the next role to be cast.

 

Will Ursa appear in Snyder's Superman? Does that mean Zod is the baddie?

Published on: Feb 05, 2011 11:40:30 AM CST

 

Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with a little bit of superhero rumor-mongering for your Super Bowl weekend.

 

The good folks at Latino Review pressed their very good sources for info on the recent buzzing about the three actresses up for an undisclosed role in the Goyer/Nolan/Snyder Superman flick. The actresses were Diane Kruger, Alice Eve and Rosamund Pike, but the only thing we knew for sure was that they weren't up for Lois Lane.

 

LR says that these fine ladies are the top contenders for the role of Ursa. Yeah, that's right, Ursa, which probably means we're seeing a Zod flick.

 

One of my favorite things about the early Superman films was the dynamic between Zod, Ursa and Non (and, of course, the dude in the street from the first movie that comments on Superman's suit... "Say, Jim! That's a bad out-FIT! Whooo!").I'm not too well versed in the comic version of these characters (I was a Marvel kid), but I do know that the movie version and the comic version of Zod (and his group) is fairly different than the Donner movie version, so it's quite possible we'll see something a little more sci-fi actiony than another movie of Supes matching wits with Lex Luthor.

 

Congrats to LR for the scoop, but keep in mind this is all still shaky at the moment. If they got it right (and there's no reason to think they didn't... remember they broke the Goyer/Nolan connection a while back) the big news is what this means for the movie's story, not necessarily who will play Ursa... but if it were me the decision would be easy: Diane Kruger. Done.

 

-Quint

quint@aintitcool.com

From the three names mentioned, I have to agree with Quint on this and say that Diane Kruger is, at least physically, the best option.

[Guest John Hancock]

I don't really know any of them as actresses, but, physically, I have to agree that Kruger seems to look the part the most.

[Guest Reno]

I just hope that the line "KNEEL BEFORE ZOD!" is in the film. :lol

[Guest Saz]

Oh God yes!

[Guest Sparrow]

Callum Blue is a great Zod. My favourite character from Season 9 of Smallville. He plays him very well and uses the line 'Kneel before Zod.'

 

Would not mind him playing Zod in the movie but I can't see it happening.

[Paul 584]

If they arent using Tom Welling as Superman I cant see them wanting any association with the series at all. But yeah, he was ace.

[DC 536]

I guess it'll all depend on how old the Zod character will be, but I wouldn't mind seeing Paul Bettany or, perhaps a bit left-field, Anthony Head getting the part.

 

If it went to an American, then, depending on if it was young or old, then Liev Schreiber or Danny Huston would do a good job.

[Guest Saz]

I think Gary Oldman would make an awesome Zod.

[etz 78]

Oldman and Head would both be great as Zod, I reckon.

[DC 536]

Deadline Hollywood are reporting that Kevin Costner is close to signing up for an undisclosed role in the movie. One of four roles mooted are Jor-El, Zod, Perry White or Jonathan Kent.

[dsrchris 190]

Jonathan Kent I reckon. That'd suit Costner down to the ground.

[etz 78]

Jonathan Kent I reckon. That'd suit Costner down to the ground.

 

That was my thought too, though I could see him as Jor-El too.

[DC 536]

Heat Vision are reporting that Viggo Mortensen is the one both Snyder and Nolan want to take on the role of General Zod, with Costner being their choice for Jonathan Kent.