It’s only January, but all these superhero buzz has been traveling faster than a speeding bullet. But this weekend’s breaking news is BIG, powerful in fact, more powerful than a loco… [ok, enough with the catchphrases]. Anyway, if you’re up on movie news or happened to be on Twitter yesterday, then you’ve probably heard it… one of my favorite British actor HENRY CAVILL has been cast as Man of Steel! Woot! Woot!! YAY! Hurrah!!
ehm, okay, sorry… now that I’ve regained my composure…
Y’see, as far back as 2002 when he had a small role as Jim Caviezel’s son in The Count of Monte Cristo, my husband and I actually said to one another, ‘this guy could be Superman in a few years’ as he was only 19 years old at the time. Even last year, when the topic of who should play the Kryptonian hero came up before Zack Snyder was announced to direct, I still championed for Cavill for he role. So it’s awesome that nine years after I first saw him on screen, he’s finally going to be a household name.
Here’s a photo of him with glasses (rockin’ the Clark Kent look I’d say!) and what he could possibly look as Superman (thanks to Superherohype.com forum):
But it wasn’t always a smooth sailing for the English actor. In fact, EMPIRE magazine actually dubbed him ‘most unlucky man in Hollywood’ and as I mentioned in this post, he’s been passed over for not one but FOUR iconic roles: James Bond, Superman, Batman (for The Dark Knight) and Edward in Twilight (despite him being Stephanie Meyer’s first choice). So for the past few years, from 2007 until last year, Cavill’s claim to fame was playing Charles Brandon in the historical bodice ripper drama The Tudors.
I’ve been cautiously optimistic — but optimistic nonetheless — of this Superman reboot. I like Zack Snyder, and with Chris Nolan as his mentor and his frequent collaborator David Goyer penning the script, how bad can it be? And now with the right actor donning the red and blue suit, it’ll be tough to keep my excitement for this movie in check 😀 According to SlashFilm, apparently Cavill was one of the top three contenders since day one, and was invited for a callback in January, where he met Zack Snyder for the first time.
The article also revealed the five other actors who were considered for the role, with two Matthews: Goode and Bomer as the top two. I like Goode and I actually suggested him for another DC superhero The Flash. Goode is said to be Cavill’s closest contender, probably because he’s worked with Snyder before in Watchmen. He reportedly declined the title role in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter in hopes of winning Superman. The Social Network‘s Armie Hammer (the 25-year old, 6’5″ actor playing the Winklevoss twins) was also up for the role.
Now the worst thing about this Superman reboot is the wait. Cavill’s got two movies lined up before that to get people familiar with his work. His upcoming films are Tarsem Singh’s Greek mythology Immortals and a thriller with Bruce Willis called The Cold Light of Day (you can see more on set photos here), which I hope will be released this year.
Well, what do you think of Cavill’s casting? Or perhaps you have your own pick to play Superman? Let’s hear it!
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Very happy you got your Superman pick! You’re two for two now, since you also got Fassbender for Jane Eyre… (hopefully it will open in OUR “select” city on March 11 ;-O )
He..he.. yeah, lots of great casting news of late. As Paula has recently told me, apparently Cavill and Fassbender are in a movie together, but it’s a horror flick sadly. Anyway, yeah I can’t wait until March!!
Btw Becky, you might not remember this as you’re so glued on Lord Marke but Henry was also in Tristan & Isolde as James Franco’s friend, Melot.
Finally, right?
as you might guess, i love this…of course Cavill’s lovely to look at but also really talented and incredibly underused. i first noticed him in Tudors (let’s just say…it’s difficult not to) but have since seen some of his other work, though I didn’t realize that was him in Monte Cristo. I Capture The Castle is the one that stands out the most to me. He has a small role but did a great job. He was criminally cute in it and Time has been good to him.
it’s gonna work. his American accent is good & looks fine in glasses. plus Nolan & Snyder are involved.
the only “negative” is, Cavill won’t be a secret amongst a happy few anymore 😉 i think he’s really going to blow up, similar to Tom Hardy.
Yeah, finally!
He..he.. I only saw one episode of The Tudors but my eyes were glued to him more than at Rhys-Meyers. Oh, I haven’t got around to seeing I Capture The Castle but will do so very soon.
I haven’t heard his American accent yet, did he play one in Whatever Works? But I’m sure it’s fine.
I’ll add the pic of him w/ the glasses that I tweeted you earlier.
Yeah, I had the same feeling when Gerry Butler was ‘discovered’ in 300. Before that everyone was like ‘Gerry who?’ Same with Henry, the ‘Henry who?’ days are numbered.
Agreed, JRM barely registered in comparison. to be 100% honest…i used to fast-forward through some of it. by the end of the final season, he was really chewing the scenery.
I’ve not seen Whatever Works, tho i’ve heard good things. i heard it in Blood Creek…it’s your destiny to watch it 😉 in general, Brits seem to have an easier time going American than Americans do going British.
yay glasses pic 🙂
i read somewhere that nearly every actor to play Bond had been considered previously. Moore was in the running when Connery got it, Dalton was in the running when Moore got it, Brosnan was in the running when Dalton got it, etc. etc. So…call me stubborn, i haven’t given up on Cavill as Bond. i believe Craig (whom i really like as Bond & otherwise) won’t always want it. i figure by the time he’s bored with it, Cavill can pick it up & ROCK that tux.
I guess all those rumors about Nolan wanted to go with an “older” Superman were false since they cast the 28-year old Cavill. I do like the choice, let’s hope Snyder can deliver us a truly great Superman film. I also hope his new film Sucker Punch tanks at the box office, if that happens than the studio won’t let him do what he wants with the new Superman film. Since both The Dark Knight Rises and Man of Steel will be shooting around the same time, Nolan won’t be there to supervise the shoot.
Yep, so I guess John Hamm was never in the running in the first place. Well I have no interest in seeing Sucker Punch but the buzz certainly is strong, though it’s not a guaranteed success, as Watchmen underperformed despite the buzz.
I still think the studio trusts Snyder and so does Nolan. I think he’ll be fine, Ted. He..he.. aren’t I the optimist 😀
Yeah I’ll leave out my criticism of Snyder for now, I mean I was so excited to see his work after I saw his remake of Dawn of the Dead. I thought wow this guy will make some great action films down the road, but 300 and Watchmen didn’t impress that much. Hopefully he’ll leave out his slow motion shots in the new Supe film and focus more on telling a good story and then bring back the style of action he shot in Dawn of the Dead.
Hello Brandon Routh 2! Never been much of a Superman movie but I’ll wait and see how this turns out.
I know Captain America, I suppose Supes is your rival 😀 Castor you must be excited the trailer for that might be released during Superbowl.
Well, while I’m flattered Hollywood would make a movie about me, I will probably be too busy saving the world to actually be watching something as fickle as the Superbowl! 😉
Mwahahaha… yes, we’d rather have you be saving mankind, too Cast… I mean Captain 😀
yeah, he’ll be a good superman i reckon. Routh was a great relative unknown Clark Kent and think Cavill will be too, although it looks like theyre gonna do something different other than copy Christopher Reeve superman, which is a good thing. nice story that being up for all these parts he finally gets a big one. good on him.
Yep, both Reeves and Routh are complete unknown so in a way Cavill already has more of a fan base than either one of those Supes actors. I think with Snyder directing, we might see an even more, shall we say, bad ass Supes this time around? Less melancholy and more fight scenes I think.
They had better drop the Scrappy-Do Supes has a kid’ siyroltne from that last film like the steaming hot shit that it was. I am a super-superman fan, j’adore Supes, j’adore everything about him but that film was diabolical. Also no bloody Kevin Spacey. But yes please to more of Parker Posey. Also, Henry is v cute for Supes. Doesn’t have that SEN look that BR has/had.VA:F [1.9.16_1159]
I still don’t understand why they even felt the need to recast. The problems with Superman Returns really couldn’t be placed at Brandon Routh’s feet. Still, if they had to recast, I would’ve gone with The Social Network’s Armie Hammer.
I think Syder and Nolan wants a fresh start, so I can’t blame them for finding new talent. I agree with you though that Routh is the least of SR’s problems, now that’d be the script.
Armie Hammer would be an ok choice in my book, but not my top 3. He’s just sooo tall! I mean, it’d be tough to find Lois Lane who doesn’t look like a midget next to him. I know camera tricks can do wonders (they often make Tom Cruise look like he’s over 6 feet after all), but I still think that might pose a problem.
Margot Kidder is 5′ 6 1/2″. Christopher Reeve was 6′ 4″.
He..he.. ok, ok, so I stand corrected 😀 But I still would choose Cavill over Hammer. But no worries, I’m sure we won’t be running out of superhero roles for him to play.
This story made the local paper. Yes, we do care who plays Superman! The shot they had of him was rather scruffy looking. That got me thinking that it might be nice to get away from the shinny blue-black hair all slicked back and have a Superman that’s a little more real feeling. This guy could pull that off if they were to take that tact. I’m glad it’s not a well known face.
As a superhero nerd, yes I DO care who plays Supes 😀 I didn’t see the news on StarTrib online, but it’s cool that it’s on today’s paper. I’m all for Supes w/ a little scruff, but I don’t know if they’ll go with that. I hope they don’t put too much hair gel though, I mean shiny hair is just bad even in real life!
it’s such a beautiful feeling and sensation seeing our beloved Henry together with Zack!
Calling all the Cinematic Gods – don’t give him some bad Lois Lane now! Or you will face Wrath of DezMond (and that’s not a pretty thing to experience)!
EMILY BLUNT for Lois Lane, EMILY BLUNT for Lois Lane!
I hear Kristen Stewart is interested in playing Lois Lane 😛
@ Castor — Ha! I bet she’s not the only one, every actress under 30 is coveting that role! I doubt Snyder would even consider her though.
Castor do not play with your destiny 😉
By the way, people, a new LOIS LANE inspired poll starts tomorrow evening at HOLLYWOOD SPY 🙂 There will be ten gorgeous candidates.
Someone was saying that on Twitter yesterday! YES, Emily Blunt would be my choice too.
Lois Lane please put me in your plan,
Oh Lois Lane you dont need no Superman.
You’re ever so poetic lately Ross 😀
That photo looks good, apparently someone has too much time on his/her hands but he/she did a great job with it.
My choice for Lois Lane is still Rachel McAdams, she needs a hit big time.
Yeah, there are quite a few fan-created versions out there but I like that one the best.
Rachel McAdams would make a fine Lois Lane. She already played a journalist in State of Play.
Well, that’s the problem of having someone not very well known like Henry Cavill play Super-Man. It limits the field of candidates who can play Lois Lane. Cast too big of a star and you risk overshadowing him. Rachel McAdams is probably tip-toeing that line, if not past it. Otherwise, I agree, she would be great! 😉 Maybe someone like Emily Blunt?
Wow, you’d actually suggest someone else over Rachel?? I’m very surprised, Castor 😉 But good point though, she can’t be too famous that it’d overshadow Henry but at the same time she doesn’t have to be a complete unknown.
Ahaha well they would get me in the seat but the movie isn’t titled “Lois Lane: Spunky Reporter” so that would really weird marketing-wise.
Ha..ha… I bet you won’t mind seeing a Supes spin-off w/ Rachel as Lois. Whoever they pick I hope she has the spunky-ness that Lois character requires. Kristen just seems too melancholy from what I’ve seen.
Cavill will be fun to see as Kal-el! I’m curious as to the storyline that they will use. Exciting news. I’m just glad it’s not Jon Hamm.
As for Lois Lane…Emily Blunt would be good, but she cant. That would ruin my plans for her to be Wonder Woman! 🙂 I’m not certain who should play her, but the ladies I’d like to see audition would be:
Hayley Atwell (P.O.T.E.), Michelle Monaghan (Eagle Eye), Bridget Reagan (Sex and the City), or even good ol’ Zooey Deschanel (500 days of summer). Monaghan would have my vote.
You can’t have a star that’s too much bigger than Cavill (to Castor’s point).
perhaps even Rashida Jones!
Oh I know! Jon Hamm would decrease my interest in the franchise considerably.
Ha..ha.. Emily for Wonder Woman? WOW, the Brits are definitely taking over American superheroes, huh? Well I certainly won’t be the one crying foul about that 😀
As for your choices. Immediately I’d say NO on Zooey, she’s just too googley-eyed, not believable as a Pulitzer-winning journalist. Hayley is already Captain America’s main squeeze. Michelle might be a good one, but I’ve never heard of Bridget before. I like the Rashida Jones idea, too.
Cool. Now for the more interesting questions: Who play the villains? And who are the villains?
I wouldn’t mind seeing Lex Luthor in a supporting rather than villainous role, so he can be developed.
Hmmm, I smell another Superman casting post coming up 😀 I’m tired of seeing Lex as Supes’ villain but yeah, I guess as a supporting role that traces the history between the two might not be a bad idea. I’m sure they’re already planning (hoping) there’ll be demands for a bunch of sequels, instead of a one off like Superman Returns.
He is much better than Brandon Routh 🙂
Yup, I’d say so. There’s nothing technically ‘wrong’ w/ Routh, but he just lacks that certain ‘oomph’ as Superman.
I’m kind of disappointed, but only because I have seen nothing of Cavill’s work.
Hmmm, how could you be disappointed when you have seen nothing of his work?? 😀 Nobody’s heard of Christopher Reeve when he was cast and look what he did with the role. Cavill is far more well known than Reeve was at the time. He’s done about 8 feature films and one major TV show The Tudors so I think that’s plenty for people to get to know him before Superman comes out: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0147147/
The fact that Snyder handed off “credit” for hiring him to Warner Bros. leads me to believe that he wasn’t a first, second, or even third choice.
I’m kind of worried since that casting decision wasn’t really made based on talent alone, rather time constraint and who would be available during that time window.
Ugh, I hate it when they do that. ‘Faster than a speeding bullet’ isn’t exactly a good thing when it comes to filmmaking 😦
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