Actor Michael Shannon brought a menacing gravitas to the Kryptonian General Dru-Zod in 2013’sMan of Steel, cementing himself as one of the more memorable villains in the DC Extended Universe. Now, years later, Shannon, Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, and most of the other DCEU stars are being replaced with new iterations. This is the result of James Gunn and Peter Safran taking the reins at DC Studios and establishing a newDC Universe, which kicks off next year with Gunn’sSuperman. Though he is not slated to appear in that film,Zod’s recasting is inevitable as one of the most iconic Superman antagonists.
For his part, Shannon isn’t particularly upset. In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant,the star unpacked his mindset behind makingMan of Steelas well as any advice he may have for the next General Zod.Of his approach to playing the villain, Shannon explained, “When I was doing Man of Steel, I didn’t really look at it as a big blockbuster; I just looked at the story in the situation.”
However, he stated how the next Zod performer shouldn’t emulate his portrayal, as “so much of it is connected to the writing.” Shannon elaborated:
“What Terence Stamp did was very different from what I did. It’s kind of like Shakespeare. There can be a lot of different Hamlets, and there can be a lot of different Zods. It’s not my property. It’s literally not my property. So, make it your own. That’s always the best thing to do.”
He further stated that he didn’t think of Zod as “some supervillain or something” but ratherhe “just thought of Zod as an individual who’s trying to do their job"and “trying to protect his people.” According to Shannon, this is a commonality among his roles. He added: “When I look back, to a certain extent, I played a lot of characters that are just trying to protect their people.” Another actor may take a different approach to Zod’s motivation.
What Michael Shannon’s General Zod Comments Mean
Shannon’s advice makes total sense.General Zod is a role that can pass on from actor to actor in a similar manner to Superman, Lois Lane, Batman, and other DC heroes. It’s possible to interpret him the way Shannon did—as a survivor protecting his own—or the way Terrence Stamp did—as a cold, power-hungry egoist. Moreover, he is correct in saying that the story should define how the actor portrays the character.
“Kneel Before Zod”: Superman’s New Take on General Zod Is Inspired by SnyderVerse’s Michael Shannon
Joe Casey revealed recently that Michael Shannon’s role as General Zod was an influence for his and Dan McDaid’s upcoming series Kneel Before Zod.
A good comparison would be Shannon’s take on Zod versus that ofCallum Blue onSmallville. Both actors have a ruthless nature, but their motives are different. Shannon’s Zod is focused on taking over Earth to preserve Kryptonians. Blue’s Zod is also ruthless, but he’s not necessarily in this for the betterment of Kryptonians. Rather, he uses that as an excuse to subjugate those around him and gain power.The interpretations may be different, yet they both feel definitively “Zod.”
Our Take On Michael Shannon’s General Zod Comments
Regardless of how Safran and Gunn choose to utilize Zod, he will be a force to be reckoned with once he does show up. The Kryptonian general is iconic for a reason, and his inclusion will hopefully come soon in the new continuity. Shannon’s words to theDCUZod ring true: “No matter what situation you’re in, as an artist, just make it your own.”
DC Universe
The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
