The DC live-action universe is an ever changing place, with plenty of new potential projects popping up like weeds. Birds of Prey marked the eight film in the still growing franchise, which started back with Zack Snyder's Man of Steel. Snyder jumpstarted the entire DCEU with his Superman origin story, which featured a strong cast of actors. Chief among them was the great Michael Shannon as General Zod. With Warner Bros. reportedly developing a Supergirl movie, so could Shannon end up reprising his role as the iconic Superman villain?
Warner Bros. is constantly expanding the DCEU, and there are some very exciting projects coming to theaters over the next few years. Fans have been hoping for a Man of Steel follow-up, but the idea of a Supergirl movie is similarly exciting. Michael Shannon was recently asked if he'd be interested in reprising his role as Zod in that movie, to which he said:
Wow, that’s interesting. I swear to God, I am not kidding — you are breaking this news to me. I will have to look into that. Zod again? I don’t know — it’s been a while. I am a little older and creakier now — I’m not sure I could do all the moves.
While Michael Shannon hasn't been keeping up with the latest DCEU updates and rumors, it looks like he's not quite sure about playing Zod again. It's been a few years since he fought Henry Cavill's Superman in Man of Steel, and getting back into the wires and fight choreography might be especially appealing to the actor, who was recently celebrated for his hilarious role in Knives Out.
Michael Shannon's comments to Gold Coast Bulletin (via Screen Rant) is charmingly honest, as he admits that he hadn't heard rumblings of a Supergirl movie. What's more, he didn't make any empty promises about wanting to return to the DC Extended Universe. The 45 year-old actor might feel a little too old to join another blockbuster in the same role.
In the comics Supergirl is usually Superman's cousin from Krypton, who was sent to Earth as a teenager rather than a baby. As such, she would have memories of the planet's fall, possibly including General Zod. If the Supergirl movie went with this backstory, it might be a great way to bring back Zod temporarily and tie it to the events of Man of Steel.
Later in his same interview, Michael Shannon expressed his hopes that Zack Snyder would be involved in the possible Supergirl movie. As he explained,
Also, I have to say in complete and utter seriousness that I just loved working with Zack Snyder and that was a big part of it for me. I don’t know who’s making this Supergirl movie but I really treasure that experience with Zack. He’s a hell of a guy.
Zack Snyder seemingly stepped away from the DC Extended Universe following the disappointing performance of Justice League. But it was his vision that kickstarted the entire property, starting with Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Michael Shannon seemed to love working with the filmmaker on the Superman origin story, so perhaps he could be convinced to return if Snyder came knocking?
The next installment in the DCEU is Wonder Woman 1984, which is currently set to hit theaters on June 5th. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
