Russell Crowe To Play Superman’s Dad Jor-El in ‘Man of Steel’
Richard Donner seems to have started a Superman movie tradition when he cast legendary actor Marlon Brando as Superman’s dad, Jor-El, in his 1978 classic. Now Warner Bros., and the team behind Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel are continuing in that tradition, by snagging a famous name to play Jor-El in the upcoming Superman reboot.
That’s right: Superman’s new daddy is none other than Russell Crowe.
Variety has the exclusive on the news, claiming that producer Chris Nolan had been pushing for a headlining name to play Jor-El role for some time, and Crowe is the man they got. It’s also stated that a big-name actress is being sought to play Superman’s mother, though no word yet on who that might be.
We were reminded during a recent panel on upcoming changes to the Superman character that Donner was one of the first to realize that populating a comic book movie with accomplished thespians in supporting roles was a great way to elevate the potentially-campy material to a proper dramatic level. It’s a tactic that Nolan himself has confessed as having borrowed for the casting of his Batman trilogy.
Well, you don’t get much more “accomplished” than an actor of Crowe’s caliber. The one-time Oscar-winner (thrice nominated) has so many hits under his belt that it’s almost pointless to list them (you know the titles). As far as being a match for the role of Jor-El: one of Crowe’s trademarks is his tough-yet-vulnerable demeanor (see: Gladiator, LA Confidential, Cinderella Man) and he can definitely play the nervous smart/clever guy (A Beautiful Mind, State of Play, The Insider). These qualities make Crowe a more than sensible choice to play Jor-EL, a character who is a brilliant scientist and loving family man, forced to face the end of his world and find the courageous resolve to save his only son.
Considering that Man of Steel will feature Kryptonian villains General Zod (Michael Shannon) and Faora, Crowe may actually get a significant amount of screen time to fill. Recent Superman comics have featured a more extensive exploration of Zod and Jor-El’s history on the planet Krypton; will those comic book storylines influence the shape of Man of Steel? It’s quite possible. Other actors in the film include Henry Cavill (The Tudors) as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Kevin Costner as Pa Kent and Diane Lane as Ma Kent.
What do you guys think of Russell Crowe playing Superman’s pappy? Good choice?
Man of Steel will be in theaters in December of 2012.
Julia Ormond May Play Superman’s Mom in ‘Man of Steel’
Just over a week ago, word got out that Zack Snyder had found Superman’s father, Jor-El, for his Man of Steel reboot in the form of Oscar-winner Russell Crowe. Now it seems the director has possibly settled on an actress to play Supe’s Kryptonian mother, Lara, as well.
Julia Ormond (who recently won a Best Actress Emmy for her work in HBO’s Temple Grandin) has been reportedly offered the role of Superman’s biological mom – a role that Gladiator actress Connie Nielson was previously rumored to be in contention for.
Deadline says that Ormond is likely to lock down a deal for her to appear in Man of Steel “shortly.” The site’s report also reiterates that Crowe has been offered the part of Superman’s birth father, but that the New Zealand actor has yet to officially sign on and follow in the footsteps of fellow Oscar-winner Marlon Brando by portraying Jor-El on the big screen.
The character Lara (full maiden name: Lara Lor-Van) was generally presented in the Superman comics as a dark-haired Kryptonian woman who played a more passive role in the events leading up to the birth of her son – prior to the 1970s. Following Susannah York’s portrayal of the character in Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie, her physical appearance has varied slightly (occasionally, she is depicted with auburn or blonde hair). However, Lara became much more of an active figure in Mark Waid’s “Superman: Birthright”, where she assisted Jor-El in the construction of the spaceship used to transport their son to Earth – following the explosion of Krypton.
Ormond generally appears in artsier or more awards-friendly fare on both the big screen (Legends of the Fall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and small screen (Iron Jawed Angels, Inland Empire). More to the point: she has more than enough of a regal screen presence to suffice as Supe’s mom in Man of Steel.
Much like Christopher Nolan has done with his Batman trilogy, Snyder is aiming to fill out the Man of Steel cast with more than its fair share of award-winners and respectable stars, including Kevin Costner and Diane Lane as Superman’s foster parents, Pa and Ma Kent; Amy Adams as Clark Kent/Superman’s career-driven love interest, Lois Lane; and Michael Shannon as the infamous criminal Kryptonian, General Zod.
Between the DC comics universe being rebooted, Action Comics essentially relaunching the Superman character, and Snyder aiming to fix what he sees as a broken concept (re: the Superman film franchise in its current form) with Man of Steel, it’s definitely a time of significant change for the classic costumed superhero. How well all these renovations and changes will go over with casual and devoted Superman fans alike, has yet to be seen.
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