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Sometimes I Despair The World Will Never See Another Man Like Him

By TK | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (31)

henry-cavill.jpg

I admit it — I’m kind of dying to see Sucker Punch. Mainly because, now that Zack Snyder has been given the reins of Superman: The Man Of Steel, I desperately want to see if he can make a big, impressive, effects-driven movie that doesn’t bore me (Watchmen), or isn’t completely ridiculous (300).

But of course, the first step is to actually find your Kal-El, and it appears that Snyder has finally done so. It won’t be Brandon Routh returning to role that he was servicable in in Superman Returns. It won’t be Jon Hamm (HAAAAAAAMMMMM!). Instead, the part will go to Henry Cavill (so much for the whole “trying to find an American actor” thing).

I’m down with it. Cavill hasn’t been in much that’s been widely seen, but from what I can tell he’s a solid actor, solidly performing in “The Tudors,” most recently. He’s got the right look, he’s reasonably tall (6’1”, if IMDB is to be believed), and, you know, what the hell.

The thing is, the actor who plays Superman isn’t as critical as it is in other superhero genres — at least, not really. Christopher Reeve was a great Superman, but not because he gave a fantastically nuanced, amazing performance. No, he was great because he looked the part, could play the noble son bit, and was a solid actor. The same is essentially true of Brandon Routh. The trick with Superman is less about who plays the man of steel (as long as it’s not Nic Cage, anyway), and more about what you do with him. The last thing audiences want to see is for Supes to just go through the motions again — Luthor with a plot to destroy/take over the world, Superman is tortured because he can’t be with Lois, oh noes! Kryptonite! Overcome it, beat the bad guys, moving on.

Dear God, not that again. Seriously, it needs to be something different. It needs a great villain and a new, interesting story. So yeah, I suppose I’m pleased with Cavill’s casting. But for the love of God, don’t botch the story (hopefully Christopher Nolan’s overseeing things can help).

Seriously. Braniac. Or Zod.

Please?

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Comments

I really like him. Haven't seen any of the newer Superman movies, though. Or Smallville.

Posted by: Candee at January 30, 2011 9:33 PM

Oh yeah. We need this Superman and his hot accent.

Posted by: Cindy at January 30, 2011 9:50 PM

Nice Crash Test Dummies reference.

Posted by: dmbmeg at January 30, 2011 9:52 PM

BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIINIAAAAAC!!

Posted by: Uriah Creep at January 30, 2011 9:55 PM

i want to see clancy brown play a LIVE ACTION lex and i want it NOW.

Posted by: gp at January 30, 2011 10:01 PM

Darkseid would make a fantastic villain. But maybe too good. Second film?

Posted by: Zeff at January 30, 2011 10:06 PM

I really don't care who they get to play Superman as long as they have an awesome villain. Superman's ability to do pretty much anything makes him boring so he needs someone that can kick his ass. They either have to cast an awesome bad guy or resort to a stupid plot that involves kryptonite islands or some crap like that from the last movie. I also hope Snyder makes some better musical choices compared to "Watchmen" which had a laughably out of place soundtrack.

Posted by: schrome at January 30, 2011 10:41 PM

I'm neither plussed nor nonplussed about the decision. Obviously if he's good enough, he'll do fine. If not, he'll just be another in a long line of people who failed in playing a comic book hero.

I do think we cannot just rehash the Donner films. There has to be a sense of Superman's power, of how awesome he can really be (I loved the scene at the end of JL:U where he tells Darkseid how careful he's gotta be or risk hurting someone).

If we're thinking trilogy, a Brainiac-Zod-Darkseid triumvirate works fine by me. Even a Brainiac-Doomsday-Darkseid works.

Posted by: Fredo at January 30, 2011 10:46 PM

I love Henry Cavill.

Posted by: Maryscott O'Connor at January 30, 2011 10:48 PM

@Maryscott, beat me to it.

Love love Henry Cavill.

Posted by: Parker at January 30, 2011 11:03 PM

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMM!

The world will pay.

Posted by: Figgy at January 30, 2011 11:55 PM

Ditto the Cavill love. I'd watch his fine ass recite liner notes.

Posted by: Snrub at January 31, 2011 12:04 AM

I approve of this in so many ways I'm actually distracted.

Posted by: Beckells at January 31, 2011 12:12 AM

Doomsday would make an excellent villain. It would give a great cliffhanger ending with the death of Superman. The sequel could open with the funeral of Superman, although the storyline of the four Supermen impostors (which then reveals that Superman was rebirthed and greatly depowered when the Last Son of Krypton -- really the Eradicator -- tried to clone himself) could get messy. I still think it's the best out of all of them!

I was also just reminded of Shaq's Steel film. Ugh.

Posted by: duckandcover at January 31, 2011 1:09 AM

Henry Cavill is fine as hell. I'm totally cool with this.

Posted by: Intern Rusty at January 31, 2011 1:17 AM

So, TK, you're saying you want a reboot?

Posted by: Ian at January 31, 2011 1:26 AM

It so totally SHOULD be Nic Cage. Fuck whatever made that not happen.

Posted by: zeke the pig at January 31, 2011 5:04 AM

Can I just say how glad I am that Cavill got the part and not that Alcide werewolf douche from True Blood? Huzzah!!

Posted by: Michelle at January 31, 2011 5:35 AM

Hell yes. I love Henry Cavill like burning.

Posted by: Aislinn at January 31, 2011 6:16 AM

Casting looks good, but hopefully Lex Luthor won't have yet another real estate scam to foil. He's a criminal genius yet all of his plans revolve around destroying land so that his property increases in value. Time to think outside the box, Lex.

Posted by: TylerDFC at January 31, 2011 6:32 AM

I'm excited about this. He is HAWT and a damn fine actor.

Posted by: dammitjanet at January 31, 2011 9:11 AM

but who's playing Lois?

coz if it's Olivia Wilde, i'm gonna cut my wrist real deep.

Posted by: haplo at January 31, 2011 9:32 AM

I'd agree that what you do with Superman is critical, but not that who's playing him therefore becomes less important. Part of the reason Superman Returns wasn't as good as it could have been is that Routh wasn't given very much to do; he had so few lines of dialogue his performance never really got off the ground (so to speak). If he'd had more to work with we might've seen how close he could get to Reeve, but we didn't. Reeve remains the gold standard not because he had more to work with, but because what he did with it was so perfect.

As for Cavill... He's one of the few guys I'll admit to a bit of a man-crush on. But I worry that they're just going with an ultimate pretty-boy, and not casting based on how he'll handle the dual roles of Superman and Clark. And that's part of why Reeve was so good, because he handled both roles beautifully, made them each distinct, and yet never lost sight of the fact that they were the same man.

Okay, now I'm getting choked up.

Posted by: Todd at January 31, 2011 9:39 AM

Enough with the origins stories. Just jump right into the middle of a crisis and wait for Superman to find a phonebooth to change in. Yeah, I'm hoping for some nekkid Henry Cavill stripping off in the middle of the street.

Posted by: BWeaves at January 31, 2011 10:04 AM

I like Snyder so I guess this has a chance but honestly Superman is the nerd of superheroes.

Posted by: logan at January 31, 2011 10:17 AM

With Nolan at the helm, I wondered if we could get a trilogy?

Movie 1: Superman vs. Brainiac
Movie 2: vs. Doomsday
Movie 3: vs. Darkseid

Each movie weaves into the next, and with all Kryptonian/space enemies, you could have some sort of connective tissue between them, with the ramping of the Darkseid invasion planted in the first movie; growing with each successive plot. Depending how you'd want to tell that story, villains 1 and 2 could be swapped out, and you'd still have to have Lex Luthor in the films, he just would never be the main enemy.

Now that I think about it, that's sort of what Smallville did/is doing... Eh. That show doesn't count, anyway, and Nolan/Snyder can do it better. Viva la Kal-El!

Posted by: RobP at January 31, 2011 11:02 AM

Zod: COME SON OF JOR-EL, KNEEL BEFORE oh my gosh, he is really good looking. Seriously, I'm incredibly intimidated.
Ursa: Wanna' conquer OA instead?
Zod: Ummmm...yeah, let's do that. Just look at that jawline. I'm about to piss myself. Non: Urgh.
Zod: Thanks for contributing, Non.

Posted by: superasente at January 31, 2011 12:42 PM

@dmbmeg: you beat me to it! love that song by the crash test dummies.

as for cavill, he seems fine. i'm hoping the nolan pedigree means this one will live up to the standard nolan set in his batman movies.

i will keep my fingers crossed.

Posted by: splinter at January 31, 2011 5:43 PM

I'd agree that what you do with Superman is critical, but not that who's playing him therefore becomes less important.

Posted by: Atlanta Roofing at February 1, 2011 2:19 AM

I love Henry Cavill and am hoping this means we get Shirtless Superman.

However, I cannot think about Zod now without thinking of the Robot Chicken bit involving sit-ups - "one before Zod, two before Zod..."

Posted by: kellyo at February 1, 2011 10:16 AM

Cavill is 6'2

Posted by: The Man who speaks the truth at February 13, 2011 5:57 AM