Forget Superman, Who Should Play General Zod in Zack Snyder's Reboot?
So Zack Snyder will be bringing his singular, slow-motion-CGI aesthetic to yet another incarnation of Superman. Casting speculation for the man of steel has begun, but really, the villains in these movies are always more fun, especially when dealing with the most clean-cut, indestructible super hero of all time. Now the Hollywood Reporter says Superman will be facing off against General Zod, so let's start brainstorming!
In Richard Donner's Superman films, the role of Zod was filled by the great Terence Stamp, who has played, among other characters, one of the most memorable gangsters of all time, a doomed actor in the scariest Fellini movie ever and a transsexual. He also dated pretty much every one of the most beautiful actresses of the 70s. Big shoes to fill. But, here are five suggestions for current actors who may be up to the challenge:
1. Tom Hardy - He's en route to the mainstream after his memorable role in Inception, but just look to his earlier work in Nicolas Winding Refn's ultra-violent Bronson to see what a threatening, complex and funny menace Hardy is capable of playing.
2. Russell Crowe - Snyder is a visual force to be sure, but the psychological subtlety in his movies is sometimes lacking, to say the least. Here's an actor who will go method and mine the psychological depths that Snyder ignores. Although, if Crowe plays the villain they should probably cast a pretty funny actor as Superman.
3. Jason Statham - Maybe the fact that I like Statham even in movies I'm not crazy about has to do with his choice to play the same soft-spoken bad-ass role in every film. I can't blame him - he's great at those roles. All the same, I'd like to see what happens if he branched out, grew a goatee and started ordering people to kneel before him.
4. Joaquin Phoenix - The ill-will of the public will likely have faded by the time this movie is out, and as far as brutal commanders go, Phoenix's character in Gladiator is still one of the most memorable. Imagine what he could do with super powers.
5.Terence Stamp - Wait a second! Terence Stamp is still alive and awesome! Hmmm....
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Comments
They better not include Lex Luthor or General Zod in the new Superman movie or any Superman movies for a while. There are many Superman villains that have not been used in the movies but have been used on Smallville such as Bizarro, Brainiac, Doomsday, Metallo, Toyman and shortly, Darkseid. Other villains that they can use include Atomic Skull, Bloodsport, Bruno Mannheim, Conduit, Cyborg Superman, Faora, Gog, Imperiex, Intergang, Jax-Ur, Kryptonite Man, Livewire, Mala, Mercy Graves, Mongul, Morgan Edge, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Parasite, Prankster, Sam Lane, Silver Banshee, Solaris, Superboy-Prime, Superman Revenge Squad, Terra-Man, Titano, Ultra-Humanite, Ultraman.
Zod = Gary Oldman. If not, Jude Law or Gerard Butler...
Yeah Gary Oldman would be good. Stamp was so freaking good he stole Superman II.
CHRISTOPH WALTZ.
Tom Berenger.
Call me boring, but I'd love to see another go between Tom Welling and Callum Blue. I think they both nailed the parts.
Liam Neeson or Willem Dafoe
I immediately thought of Jason Statham before I clicked through to see your choices.
Good call!
I would LOVE to see Terence Stamp reprise Zod. Seriously, why not? See "The Limey" for further proof of his ageless baddass credentials.
Terence Stamp, beyond question. He's learned even more craft since the first time.
i think jude law would work well.Or what actor played the villan with a beard in the 1st diehard?think he now plays in harry potter movies.
who was the villan from the first diehard? the guy with the beard.Hes perfect.