Over a decade ago, Zack Snyder cast Michael Shannon as the antagonist of his 2013 film that would set the foundation for the DCEU. The filmmaker described that Shannon had the “intelligence and the malice” of the character and also said that he was perfect for portraying the Superman nemesis General Zord. After playing the character in the 2013 film Man of Steel, the Boardwalk Empire actor is now set to reprise his DC character in the upcoming film The Flash.
During his recent interview with The Playlist, he talked about reprising his role in the upcoming film alongside Ezra Miller, as he expressed his gratefulness toward Zack Snyder for giving him one of the biggest surprises of his career.
Michael Shannon Expresses His Gratitude Towards Zack Snyder
While fans won’t be able to see the return of their favorite superhero portrayed by Henry Cavill in Man of Steel, they do have the opportunity to witness his nemesis in the upcoming film The Flash. Portrayed by Michael Shannon in the 2013 film, General Zod is set to return to the big screen with the upcoming DC film.
Talking about his return as General Zod, Shannon shared that he was really surprised when Zack Snyder offered him the role for his first DC film Man of Steel. He said, “And I really love Zack.” He also shared how he felt it was a joke and that Snyder was only kidding with him.
“The fact that Zack asked me to play that part, to begin with, that’s probably the biggest surprise of my career. It almost felt like a practical joke. I was like, ‘You’re kidding me, right?”
However, the Dawn of the Dead director was serious about casting him in the role, as he described Shannon as the perfect actor for General Zod. He said, “Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character.” The Iceman star also shared that he consulted Snyder before signing up for his return as Zod in The Flash.
Michael Shannon Didn’t Feel Right Reprising His DC Role
During his interview, Michael Shannon also shared that he was hesitant to reprise his role in The Flash. The Dawn of Justice director was the one who offered him that role, and he was not “really happy about what happened to Zack Snyder in that whole deal.”
The Bullet Train actor shared that he did not find it right to reprise his role without consulting Snyder. So he told the director of The Flash, “I just want to get Zack’s blessing on this because it just doesn’t feel right without that.”
Shannon shared that the Justice League director was very understanding of the whole situation. “He gave me his blessing, and I went to do it,” Shannon shared. The Waco actor shared that he loved working with Andy Muschietti on the film.
The Flash is set to release on 16 June 2023.
Source: The Playlist