On Man of Steel:
Darren Aronofsky, Duncan Jones, Ben Affleck, Tony Scott, Matt Reeves and Jonathan Liebesman were considered to direct the movie before Zack Snyder was later chosen.
Natalie Portman, Charlotte Riley, Anne Hathaway, Dianna Agron, Kristen Stewart, Malin Akerman, Rachel McAdams, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kristen Bell, Lake Bell, Olivia Wilde, Mila Kunis and Jessica Biel were considered to play Lois Lane.
Ben Affleck turned down directing the film because he wasn't experienced in VFX shots: "A lesson I've learned is to not look at movies based on budget, how much they'll spend on effects or where they will shoot. Story is what's important."
Matthew Goode, Armie Hammer, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Zac Efron and Colin O'Donoghue were on the final shortlist for the lead role. Henry Cavill was finally cast. He was the front runner to play Superman in another Superman movie (working title: flyby) but the the movie failed to be greenlit and Brandon Routh was cast in 'Superman Returns' instead. Cavill was also runner-up to Daniel Craig for the James Bond role in 'Casino Royale.'
Julianne Moore, Lisa Rinna, Jodie Foster, Sela Ward and Elisabeth Shue were considered for the role of Martha Kent.
Dennis Quaid, Bruce Greenwood, Michael Biehn and Kurt Russell were considered for the role of Jonathan Kent.
Viggo Mortensen was considered to play General Zod.
Amanda Seyfried auditioned for a role but was turned down.
Prior to being cast as Lois, Amy Adams had two previous Superman connections. Adams played Jodi Melville in 'Smallville.' This is her third time auditioning for Lois Lane. She first read for Lois Lane in Brett Ratner's abandoned film, then for Superman Returns. Adams has stated that it became ridiculous and this time she had to play Lois and put her stamp on it.
Both director Bryan Singer and actor Brandon Routh expressed interest in reprising their positions from Superman Returns on this film; Singer had originally outlined several sequels to follow his story, and Routh was contracted as well. When Warner Bros. announced this film as a "clean reboot" from Singer's film, Routh still expressed interest in returning before Zack Snyder declared that this movie would have no ties to any previous cinematic incarnation of the character.
Henry Cavill is the first non-American actor to play the role of Clark Kent. London-born Lee Quigley played Superman as a baby in Superman.
Russell Crowe becomes the second Oscar winner to portray Jor-El after Marlon Brando. Crowe once had a song with his band "Rus Le Roq" entitled "I want to be like Marlon Brando".
The film is set to release in June of 2013, the 75th anniversary of Superman. The first appearance of the character was in "Action Comics #1" in 1938.
The monologue used by Jor-El (Russell Crowe) in the teaser trailer is taken directly from Grant Morrison's "All-Star Superman", widely considered one of the best Superman stories ever written.
This is the first Superman feature film that doesn't incorporate the word "Superman" in its title. Interestingly enough, the first Batman film to not incorporate the word "Batman" was Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight which like, Man of Steel, is the main character's nickname.
The first Superman film not to feature Kryptonite, Superman's main weakness.
Diretor Zack Snyder enlisted the services of Gym Jones to get lead star Henry Cavill in shape for this role. Snyder had first worked with Gym Jones on 300 and then subsequently collaborated with them for all his live action films, to get his cast into the right physical shape.
For his physical preparation on Man Of Steel, Henry Cavill had to start from scratch because for his previous film, The Cold Light of Day, director Mabrouk El Mechri made him lose the "eight pack" and the muscular physique that he had built for Immortals. He was asked to let go completely and stop all training to get the body of an ordinary man. For Man Of Steel, after months of training, Cavill got his physique and "eight pack" back but said that he would never let go again, whatever they offered him.
Henry Cavill said that he was on a diet of 5000 calories while bulking (putting on mass), dropped down to 3500 calories to get into suit-shape and then further dropped down to 2500 calories for his shirtless scenes.
The idea that Superman's S-Shield means "hope" comes from Mark Waid's Superman: Birthright series: The S-Shield is the Kryptonian symbol for "hope" and Superman believes it may have begun as a coat of arms for the House of El.
Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe had met years prior to playing father and son when Henry was an extra in Proof of Life and received words of encouragement to pursue acting and an autographed picture from Crowe, who was his favorite actor.
According to David S. Goyer, the story's major theme is first contact: "We approached Superman as if it weren't a comic book movie, as if it were real. He's an alien. If the world found out he existed, it would be the biggest thing that ever happened in human history. Just his existence would change the face of the Earth forever."
I love crime dramas and the London setting is especially intriguing for an Anglophile like me.
I gotta admit you kinda sold me on this one. It’s a film I would have entirely missed if you hadn’t mentioned it earlier. Trailer looks pretty darn good!
I’m thrilled to hear that Keith! Yes the trailer does look good isn’t it? THIS is the kind of action film I like as there’s some intelligence involved instead of just loud noises and things explodin’ all over the place. The cast is just, oh, no words!!
Looks good. Can’t beat a good British crime drama when it’s done well.I like that you’re an anglophile Ruth
Yes indeed Kevin! Crime dramas are inherently intriguing and the fact that it’s a smaller film it’s even more promising. He..he.. yes, I love all things British. I might as well move there one day.
Ha I love Britain too but I am biased.
WOW, I can’t believe I’ll be able to see this, because I land in London on April 3! With this and the play Old Times there’s going to be one huge Rufus-Fest goin’ on! Love it that there’s a scene at the Eye. And yes, I sure hope it ends up here, one way or another.
I’m soooo jealous Becky! Yes, Rufus-Fest is right, what a lucky girl you are. Isn’t it nice to see our boy FINALLY getting top billing? Rightly so! Oh man, the trifecta of Rufus, Gabriel and Toby is making me super giddy today
I know, lucky is an understatement. I don’t usually fall into such delightful serendipity, And the amazing acting trio with Ruf in the lead is almost too good to be true. I’ll be watching this trailer again and again too…
Yes, too good to be true indeed! And your trip to see Rufus’ play AND him starring in a British film is just awesome. I wish I could tag along with you somehow [sigh]
I’d love to have you with me too! And what’s your excuse?… oh yes, now I remember, you’re going to San Diego ComicCon in July, and off to Europe (Amsterdam, Bruges, Paris) in September. Boy, how rough it can get ;-D
Looks pretty good
Just ‘pretty good’?? Come on man, it’s excellent!
Sadly it’s just not my thing, i’ll admit it looks good though
Crime thriller not your thing?? Or you just didn’t care for the actors?
Nah I don’t mind the actors but the story the plot just doesn’t interest me, probably will watch it eventually just not my cup of tea. Hope you really enjoy it anyway
Ok man, fair enough. I was worried you hated the actors for some reason.
This actually looks pretty decent! And I thought you were tricking me into a rom-com trailer again
Ahah, why would I be cruel to my friends?
No of course it’s NOT a rom-com trailer, you won’t see hardly any of those in my blog. Glad you like it, Ty.
It looks good! It reminds me of LAYER CAKE, which I love
I still haven’t seen it but my hubby liked Layer Cake. I remember that one has a great cast and also set in London so yeah!
Lets hope this turns out well. British crime dramas are some of the best out there.
Yes indeed! I have high hopes that this will be very good. Even if it’s so so, I’d still enjoy it for the actors.
I like the idea. but I gotta say it doesn’t grab me just yet. honestly. I’ll try watching it again. Great cast!
Watch it again T
I guess I’m more excited than everyone else as I adore two of the actors and Toby Stephens looks so mighty hunky here, yowza! 
Looks right up my alley. I agree with Paula. If it’s in the same vein and grit of ‘Layer Cake’, it’s what I crave. Thanks for the heads up, Ruth.
I sure hope it lives up to your expectations Michael, as I know you have a particular love for this genre.
yay! as long as i have a subtitles track, i’m good
Ahah, is it that bad? Did they have Cockney accent like in Guy Ritchie movies? Looks like they’re pretty discernible in this movie, but who knows, I may be gawking too much at the pretty boys to comprehend anything they’re saying
Lol it’s understandable
There are a few people in Layer Cake that I personally couldn’t understand. I think they are Cockney and/or Essex accents.
So true.
Yeah like Paula and Michael said, if this one turns out to be as good as Layer Cake, then I’ll see it. Although I hope it doesn’t have the same cheap shock ending like Layer Cake did, that really pissed me off.
My guess is if it does well box office wise over in Europe, I’m sure some studio here in the States will pick it up.
I haven’t seen Layer Cake so I don’t know about the ending. Well I sure hope it would do very well in Europe so it’ll be shown at least in limited release here.
Not sure how it will turn out, but I’m in. Nice to see Sewell and Byrne back on the big screen.
Thanks for including the trivia in the sidebar, Ruth!
YES! Glad to hear Josh. Well for now this is only in the UK but my hope is to see these two in American cinema, esp since Rufus gets top billing!
THANK YOU for that awesome trivia post, I thought it’d be fitting to put it now that Oscar is only a week away.
This wasn’t really on my radar before, but the trailer has intrigued me a bit.
Hi Julian, I think you commented about this in my original post but glad you like the trailer
Wow interesting cast a bit like the Ray Winstone film and yes I agree Layer Cake but no eye candy for the gents just us ladies and about time too. Some of us like these kind of films without dealing with boobs everywhere as most of us have to roll or avert our eyes to put up with it. I will definitely see that for sure has been the best bet for me for some time as “the Guard” was the last film I saw.
About time they have a film for us girls though I think the guys won’t have much eye candy which is refreshing for a change. It reminds me of the Ray Winstone film “Sexy Beast” and yes Layer Cake as well. Us gals don’t mind these films and a study says we don’t mind the slasher flicks as well they didn’t ask me but give me a gangster type film and I will watch it as I have seen a lot of them. Intersting that the director from kidulthood did this as it was interesting that film I will admit but hope this one is better. Thanks to you Ruth and my twin Stella for the heads up
This looks great! Haven’t seen Toby Stephens in a while and I simply love him, so I’m really excited about this one. Thanks for sharing!
Yes Toby is such a looker isn’t he?? Nice to see him in a prominent role here.
I fell in love with his Mr. Rochester
Oh I take it you haven’t seen the BBC 1983 version? Timothy Dalton’s Rochester remains my all time favorite
I’ve seen it but Toby Stephens still remains my first pick
Ahah well, to each their own I guess. I feel that latest adaptation is far too modern, took too much liberty from the book IMO.
Maybe that’s why I liked it so much. But you’re right, everyone is entitled to their opinion.