Fair warning to anyone who thinks they can avoid a certain piece of information regarding who exactly Michael Shannon plays in the upcoming Superman film Man of Steel… this new teaser confirms something that’s been rumored for a while. So stop reading now if you’re still hoping to steer clear of that reveal.
WB has released a new teaser for Zack Snyder’s darker-looking continuation/reboot of the Superman films, but instead of including new footage (or any footage at all) they’re going the viral route a la Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight marketing. But just because we’re not seeing anything doesn’t mean there isn’t something to hear.
Check out the teaser for Man of Steel below.
Reminds me of my youth looking for saucy bits of skin between the lines of a scrambled Skinemax…
So there it is. Shannon is definitely playing General Zod, a well known character from the comics brought to cinematic life previously by Terence Stamp in Superman II. Zod giving the citizens of Earth a warning that they turn over Superman or face destruction is obviously similar to Bane’s declaration in The Dark Knight Rises, but at least Bane’s people knew how to secure a video signal.
Jokes aside, Zod’s decree adds further confirmation that Snyder’s film will be a somewhat darker take on the material, and while that in and of itself isn’t a guarantee of quality it’s a leap in the right direction anyway. Superman, as a character, has always been the least interesting of superheroes because of his implied invincibility and ridiculously simple and single weakness. If Snyder manages to crack that nut (with screenwriter David S. Goyer’s help) and pairs it with his usually impressive visuals we may just have the best Superman film possible hitting theaters this year. And if nothing else we get to see Kevin Costner on the big screen again!
Regarding the viral connotation, there are some not-so clear images/writings in the video that I fully expect will be decoded and transcribed by rabid fans sometime tomorrow.
Man of Steel opens June 14th, 2013.
