Michael Shannon has signed on to play Kryptonian villain General Zod in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot, now officially titled Man Of Steel .
Shannon landed the role after first choice Viggo Mortensen was unable to find a gap in his schedule to commit to the superhero reboot.
“Zod is not only one of Superman’s most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t,” says director Snyder.
“Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.”
Zod was most famously played by Terence Stamp in Superman II , but - like Snyder - we’re convinced that Shannon’s the perfect choice for Snyder’s new interpretation of the villain.
While some Superman fans may be wary of Snyder's involvement in the reboot after his critically-lashed Sucker P unch failed to impress, there's no doubt he's assembling a formidable cast for Man Of Steel .
Shannon joins Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Diane Lane as Martha Kent and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent.
Man Of Steel opens December 2012.
