Ok, for better or worse, Zack Snyder is your new “Superman” director and the trades have emerged with their own details that shed a bit more light on the project.
The biggest piece of news comes from Variety, who spoke to Snyder and their report says the new director said it’s “unlikely” that “Superman Returns” actor Brandon Routh will return for the lead role of Superman and Clark Kent. Suffice to say that’s likely truth and diplomatic talk for “we’re looking in another direction.”
This will be a big disappointment for “Routh as Superman” fans who are a small, but vocal group (we’ll admit, we liked the guy, but we’re also not opposed to someone new as long as the choice doesn’t make us cringe).
As we mentioned briefly, it appears that a villain has been found. Though early reports pegged Brainiac (and Luthor) in an “action-packed” Superman film, THR says that apparently General Zod from Richard Donner’s “Superman II” (as played by the venerable Terence Stamp) is rumored to be part of the David S. Goyer-penned screenplay.
As for Christopher Nolan’s godfathering role in all this? Snyder tells Variety. “He provides that extra bit of wisdom to a process that sometimes lacks it. It’s the best situation we could be in for this character. It’s still early in the process but I will say that the story that Chris and David have laid out is pretty awesome,” he said.
Many have noted, including us, that Superman is traditionally a well-adjusted character so he’s difficult to portray on the screen with a lot of psychological flaws; the perfect Christopher Reeves-type Superman being pretty dull these days and Snyder acknowledged this. “Chris and David have given this the shape with a great story. It’s a hard character to crack,” he told Hero Complex.