Yahoo News Michael Shannon says his return to General Zod 'wasn't quite satisfying' in The Flash
Michael Shannon is one of many familiar faces making a grand return to the DC Extended Universe in The Flash. But reprising the role of the rogue Kryptonian General Zod was a little disappointing for Shannon, who has a less central role this time around.
"I'm not gonna lie, it wasn't quite satisfying for me, as an actor," Shannon told Collider in a new interview. "These multiverse movies are like somebody playing with action figures. It's like, "Here's this person. Here's that person. And they're fighting!'"
Shannon continued, "It's not quite the in-depth character study situation that I honestly felt Man of Steel was. Whether people think that's crazy or not, I don't even care. I really felt like Man of Steel was actually a pretty sophisticated story."
Shannon added that though he feels The Flash is similarly sophisticated, "it's not Zod's story. I'm basically there to present a challenge."
Warner Bros/Everett Michael Shannon in 'Man of Steel'
While Shannon was the primary antagonist of the 2013 Zack Snyder film, sharing ample screen time with Henry Cavill's Superman, he is one of many characters sharing the spotlight in the upcoming multiversal superhero flick. In The Flash, the DC Extended Universe has cracked open and many familiar faces are pouring out. Both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton are back as Batman's from alternate universes and Ezra Miller is doing double duty as two different versions of the titular Barry Allen.
Shannon, who recently weighed in on Miller's controversial reputation, spoke highly of their performance.
"Honestly, to me, it's all about Ezra," Shannon said. "I just think Ezra is a fascinating performer and actor. I can't wait to see this performance. It's a huge challenge. I don't wanna give anything away, but what Ezra has to do in this movie is pretty crazy, and I think [they're] up for the task. I know a lot of times, with movies like this, people are excited about the big set pieces or the effects, but for me, it's always about performance. I don't care whether it's an Ingmar Bergman film or the Avengers. It's always about performance."
Initially, the multiversal storytelling was confusing to Shannon, who didn't understand how Zod would be back in the first place.
"I said, 'As memory serves me, I think I died in Man of Steel. Are they sure they got the right guy?'" Shannon told Looper in March. "But then they explained to me the whole multiverse phenomenon."
His other hesitation was returning to the role while the DC universe continued on without Snyder. But once he had the filmmaker's blessing, Shannon was happy to work with The Flash director Andy Muschietti.
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