One DCEU actor got Zack Snyder's blessing before returning to their role in a 2023 film.
With the SnyderVerse essentially over and The Flash movie somewhat soft-rebooting DC movies and television, it is seeming to be the end for SnyderVerse versions of many characters – particularly with the movie being rumored to remove references to Zack Snyder's Justice League.
Snyder fans are saying goodbye to these versions of DC superheroes in the final few projects before James Gunn and Peter Safran officially take over.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods brought back Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and The Flash will feature Ezra Miller will as Barry Allen, along with other DC cameos as revealed by new rumors.
One such return — and potential goodbye — to a SnyderVerse character was approved by Snyder himself, according to a new interview.
DCEU Actor Got Zack Snyder's Blessing
Michael Shannon was only willing to return to the role of Zod in the upcoming The Flash after receiving Zack Snyder's blessing, according to an interview with the actor from The Playlist.
After being asked to join The Flash by director Andy Muschietti, Shannon was "hesitant because I wasn’t really happy about what happened to Zack Snyder in that whole deal:"
"I was hesitant [to come back] because I wasn’t really happy about what happened to Zack Snyder in that whole deal ... And I really love Zack. The fact that Zack asked me to play that part to begin with – that’s probably the biggest surprise of my career. It almost felt like a practical joke. I was like, 'You’re kidding me, right?'"
Shannon was only willing to discuss a reprisal of his role in the new film after he got "Zack’s blessing on this because it just doesn’t feel right without that:"
"But I talked to Andy [Muschietti] about it, and I liked Andy, and I said, 'Andy, look – I just want to get Zack’s blessing on this because it just doesn’t feel right without that.' And Zack, to his credit, was very understanding. He gave me his blessing, and I went to do it."
After getting Snyder's approval, Shannon was able to gain a "love" for Muschietti that was not mutually exclusive to his respect for his former director.
"I loved Andy, too. I loved working with Andy. They’re both super creative guys. Andy’s an amazing artist. He would just make these drawings when I was sitting there talking to him. I’d look over and say, 'Hey, can I keep that?' and he’d go, 'Sure!' and sign it and give it to me."
Shannon also understood that his return to the character is "not as in-depth" as his portrayal of Zod in Man of Steel, but that that is fine because "The Flash is definitely about the Flash — as it should be:"
"But, you know, it’s just really different – these kind of multiverse situations ... The story is a lot more all over the place, you know? And I feel like I mainly exist in ‘The Flash’ as, like, an obstacle or a problem. Whereas, in 'Man of Steel,' it was more of a story. Like, 'The Flash' is definitely about The Flash – as it should be. So, it’s not as in-depth."
What Will Zod’s DCU Return Entail?
Michael Shannon admitted before that he was "confused" as to how he could return, given the character's death in his previous cinematic appearance, before learning of the Multiverse story that The Flash will certainly be.
The return was announced back in 2021, and since then it has become clear that this version of Zod is going to be vastly different.
However, given that Snyder himself approved Shannon's involvement, there is bound to be a layer of familiarity to the character in this next appearance.
With The Flash set to return to an altered version of the Man of Steel time period of 2013, who knows what other touchstones from that movie will also be included?
The latest trailer for the movie references the now iconic scene from Henry Cavill's movie where he says that his symbol stands for hope, with The Flash instead having Barry Allen deliver this line to Sasha Calle's Supergirl. Judging by this, there are bound to be other Easter eggs and nods to the very start of the DCEU.
The Flash premieres in theaters on June 16.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
