Beware Superman! Michael Shannon Is General Zod!

Boardwalk Empire's Michael Shannon will play the megalomaniacal Kryptonian in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel.

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Yesterday, Warner Bros. officially announced that Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire) has agreed to star as the Kryptonian villain General Zod in Superman: Man of Steel. The news comes just a couple of weeks after Zack Snyder (the director behind Sucker Punch) said that Viggo Mortensen was "definitely not cast in the film." There's still no word on whether Edgar Martinez will join Shannon as a part of Zod's criminally-minded crew, but there's a strong chance that he will.

As the General, Shannon will go toe-to-toe with Henry Cavill, who plays the new Clark Kent/Superman in the film. Understandably excited, Snyder sums up how important the character (and Michael Shannon) known as Dru-Zod is to the new direction of Man of Steel. "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," said Snyder. "Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role."

Writer David Goyer has even supposedly found an idea to address the Superman character in a modern context. An unconfirmed report says that the story will follow Clark Kent (Cavill), a journalist traveling the world "trying to decide if he should, in fact, even become Superman."

The developing cast of Man of Steel also includes Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Martha "Ma" and Jonathan "Pa" Kent. Share your thoughts below on who you see as the femme fatale in Zod's villainous army.

[via Deadline]

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