Michael Shannon Was Confused With His Casting as General Zod in ‘Man of Steel’
Michael Shannon is considered one of the world’s most talented actors. In every movie he’s in, he’s left an unforgettable mark on his scenes, and occasionally even steals the show. But when Zack Snyder cast Shannon as Zod in Man of Steel, Shannon was left confused about the unexpected offer.
Why Michael Shannon was confused when he was cast in Zack Snyder’s ‘Man of Steel’
Some might find it difficult to imagine Michael Shannon in a superhero blockbuster. The actor is usually known for starring in dark dramas like Revolutionary Road or Take Shelter. So when he was approached for the part of superman’s nemesis, Shannon was a bit taken back.
“When I got a call from Zack Snyder saying, ‘Come to my house in Pasadena, I want to pitch you Man of Steel,‘ I was a little flabbergasted,” Shannon told Telegraph. “I wasn’t aware that I was in that club. I didn’t think anything like that would ever fall in my lap. So I went out there, and he didn’t show me the script but he basically pitched the entire film.”
Speaking in a press conference at River Run, Shannon described his meeting with the Justice League director as akin to being on drugs.
“And he spent like a half hour telling me every scene in this movie,” Shannon said.
While Snyder was explaining his film to Shannon, Shannon began looking around Snyder’s home in Pasadena.
“And I’m looking out, there’s like the rose bowl over there, there are little hummingbirds flying around. I’m like, ‘I’m on acid,’” he quipped. “And then like a month later it’s like, ‘Ok, you’re General Zod.’”
According to Telegraph, one of the reasons Shannon did the film was because of Snyder’s passion.
“It was like a gospel meeting – it was like Burt Lancaster in Elmer Gantry! How could you not be persuaded? I took the part without ever having read the script.,” Shannon said.
Michael Shannon thought it was a shame what happened between Zack Snyder and the DCEU
Zack Snyder’s DCEU wasn’t met favorably among certain audiences and critics. The cinematic franchise even faced hardship from Warner Bros, who constantly butted heads with Snyder. Shannon himself weighed in on how he felt about the situation.
“I love working with Zack Snyder and I think it’s very sad-he’s been through a lot of hardship recently-I don’t know what happened with that whole DC thing,” Shannon once told Joblo. “I think it’s a shame.”
When asked if he knew of the details behind Snyder’s exit from the DCEU, the Nine Perfect Strangers actor was in the dark.
“I don’t know what happened. People think I’m in Batman V Superman, which I guess I am, for like fifteen seconds,” Shannon said. “I’m mainly in Batman V Superman as a giant, naked, rubber dummy, which I didn’t have anything to do with really.”
Why Michael Shannon chose to do a DC film instead of a Marvel or Star Wars movie
Michael Shannon is picky about his roles. He’s not interested in money, but instead, there are specific qualities a movie must have to captivate his interests. When he was approached by Snyder to do Man of Steel, he told Fandango how the story sold him.
“When I did Man of Steel I thought the story was interesting; I thought it was relevant. It was about a civilization that destroys the planet they live on and goes looking for another one. Ring any bells? That’s why I did it,” Shannon shared. “I didn’t do it because I felt I needed a big comic book franchise – I honestly thought it was a beautiful story.”
Shannon revealed that he had an offer from either Marvel or Star Wars about a part. Although he didn’t specify what movie it was, Shannon stated the story didn’t grab him like Man of Steel’s.
“They called me recently about some iteration – I won’t say – but some version of a movie that’s been made already countless times,” Shannon said. “They were gonna give me a lot of money, but I was like nah. Big movie, too. But I have to think it’s an interesting story. If I don’t, I can’t do it. I won’t do it.”
