Michael Shannon is back as General Zod in The Flash – but the actor has revealed that he didn't feel comfortable returning until he got Zack Snyder's blessing.
Snyder directed Man of Steel, which saw Shannon's Zod as the main antagonist who went head to head with Henry Cavill's Superman. In The Flash, directed by Andy Muschietti, Zod returns via a multiversal mess that involves Barry Allen accidentally creating a world without superheroes after a time travel venture goes wrong.
"I was hesitant [to come back] because I wasn't really happy about what happened to Zack Snyder in that whole deal," Shannon told The Playlist's Bingeworthy podcast. "And I really love Zack. 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?'"
He added: "But I talked to Andy [Muschietti] about it, and I liked Andy, and I said, 'Andy, look – I just want to get Zack's blessing on this because it just doesn't feel right without that.' And Zack, to his credit, was very understanding. He gave me his blessing, and I went to do it. I loved Andy, too. I loved working with Andy. They're both super creative guys."
The Flash isn't due out until later this year, but the film has already been screened in its entirety for CinemaCon attendees. Rave reactions have hit the internet already. For everyone at home, though, there's a brand new trailer to enjoy.
The first trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom also debuted behind closed doors at the convention, and it sees Jason Momoa's Aquaman and Patrick Wilson's Orm forced to team up against Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Black Manta.
The Flash arrives this June 16. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies – as well as what's in store as part of DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
