Russell Crowe Is Jor-El!!!

Variety has reported that that the Academy Award-winning actor is already set to portray Superman's biological father - Jor-El - in the Zack Snyder directed "Man of Steel"  set to fly in 2012 (date yet to be specified). 

Jor-El was played by legendary actor Marlon Brando in the 1978 "Superman I" starring Christopher Reeve in the lead role.

Nobody saw this coming. Honestly, I never... ever... did. 

I'm not so sure about Crowe taking on this character as much as I love him for his acting chops. Furthermore, this casting further indicates that the movie could have... **wait for it**... another origin story.

And that's another BIG TIME actor hired for this film. Looks like they are really packing in the big guns for DC's mainstream hero, just like what they did for 2008's "The Dark Knight". Hopefully this pays off.

"Man of Steel"  will also star Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Michael Shannon as Zod, Diane Lane as Ma Kent, and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent.

What do you think of this news? Feel free to vote on the poll and let me know! 

Michael Shannon is 'General Zod' in Zack Snyder's 'Man of Steel' Supes Reboot

Zack Snyder has finally found an opponent for Henry Cavill's Superman- and it is long time arch nemesis and fellow kryptonian General Zod to be played by 37-year old actor Michael Shannon.  According from DCU blog The Source:

BURBANK, CA, April 10, 2011 – Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced today that Michael 

Shannon will star in the role of General Zod in director Zack Snyder’s new Superman film, titled “Man of Steel.”

Snyder stated, “Zod is not only one of Superman’s most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t.  Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.”

As General Zod, Shannon will go toe-to-toe with Henry Cavill, who plays the new Clark Kent/Superman in the film.  The main cast also includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Martha and Jonathan Kent.

Michael Shannon was honored with an Academy Award^® nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Sam Mendes’ “Revolutionary Road,” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.  Shannon was most recently seen in the award-winning HBO drama series “Boardwalk Empire,” from executive producer Martin Scorsese.  He will next be seen in Sony Pictures Classics’, “Take Shelter,” from director/writer Jeff Nichols.

Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder are the producers of the film.  The screenplay is being written by David S. Goyer based on a story by Goyer and Nolan.  Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips are serving as executive producers.

“Man of Steel” will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

The New 'Ma Kent': Diane Lane Will Star In Snyder's Superman Reboot

This is good news, Superman fans! The very beautiful and talented Academy-award winner Diane Lane was cast as good ol' Martha Kent for the Superman film reboot by director Zack Snyder to be released sometime in 2012.

I couldn't be any more pleased with this. She's got the acting chops, the wisdom and the charisma needed to become the only (adoptive) mother that Clark Kent has ever known - the one who shaped young Clark into the man and hero he is going to be, together with 'Pa Kent'. Just look at her credentials and if you've watched her movies (yeah including the sexy ones).. I mean, what more could you ask?

This is grade A casting right here . I hope they pick another good one for Jonathan Kent and General Zod.

Full news from SPINOFF .

Random Ramblings: More On 2012 Superman... British Actors... Lex Luthor.... Wrestling Re-Runs.... Work... etc

So there's a new Superman in town and his name is Henry Cavill. A little bit disappointed about Brandon Routh not getting the role again because he was a pretty good Big Blue, but we just have to wait and see about this new hairy-chested, heavily bearded guy has to offer.

Here's a recent Facebook post from my friend regarding Cavill being cast as Supes:

"A Brit actor playing an American hero? pfft."

and a comment from one ComicVine forumer:

"Truth, justice and the British way". 

I understand the sarcasm, but don't forget folks that Christian "Batman" Bale is also British. And you gotta admit, UK has produced some of the finest actors and actresses in recent memory.

By the way a little bit of factoid: Andrew "The New Spiderman" Garfield is also part Brit. You gotta love this little "British invasion" that we got here - if we can call it like that.

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Still on Superman 2012. I just realized that Bryan Singer's 2006 Superman Returns didn't have a single scene where the Man of Steel actually punches something. Don't believe me? Watch the whole movie again. I have seen it multiple times already and there is definitely none.  Probably one of the biggest reasons why the movie wasn't that big of a deal. Hopefully Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder would change that and give us the chance to finally see our hero beat the hell out of something/someone with rapid-fast punching. That would be AWESOME.

The New Superman: Henry Cavill

The search is finally over. And sorry for me and Routh fans out there,, Brandon Routh is NOT reprising the role of Superman in the upcoming 2012 film reboot  (reported to be titled Superman: Man of Steel) to be directed by Zack Snyder. 

The lucky guy chosen is Henry Cavill, who has apparently auditioned before multiple times for the same role only to be rejected. He was once called the "unluckiest man in Hollywood" because of that, but I think that's all going to change now as he finally got the opportunity to play the role of the most iconic character in comic book history and the chance to revive the whole Superman film franchise. I certainly haven't watched this guy on TV, but from the looks of this photoshopped pic, he sure looks ok for the role:

Super Talk: My Take On The 2012 Superman Film, Wishing For A Supes' Costume Tweak and More....

Image courtesy of DC Direct

Alright, let's go down to some Superman shall we? Haven't created a single Superman entry since my comic book review about All-Star Superman and its direct to DVD animation (which is going to come out in February) so I think this article is just in time (and my friend Marj is asking me a lot of questions so I attempt to answer all of them here).

So, it has been announced way back last month that Zack Snyder (director of Watchmen, 300 and the upcoming Sucker Punch) will direct the new 2012 Superman film under the production and writing of Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Inception, The Dark Knight) and David Goyer respectively.  according to an interview with Hero Complex, Nolan stated that they've got brilliant ideas for the new flick which will be a complete reboot of the whole franchise - after Brian Singer's 2006 Superman Returns failed to meet expectations.

I've got no problem with Nolan and Snyder teaming up to do this for I think that Nolan is a great director, and the same can be said for the latter. I have watched all of their films and I loved them all. David Goyer's script writing is also a thing of beauty and it worked obviously on both of Nolan's Batman films so I can't complain anything at all with this team that WB put up. I really think it was the most logical thing to do. and makes me wish nothing but the best for the revival of the greatest superhero with these men on the forefront.