Michael Shannon Is Against 'Mindless Entertainment' (But Doesn't Mind Being In The Flash)
The actor compared his 2013 appearance in Man of Steel to Star Wars, calling it much more relevant.
With The Flash finally upon us, it became clear that the film failed to live up to most fans' expectations, especially after the overwhelmingly positive reaction to early screenings at CinemaCon.
Among the many great opportunities the film missed was General Zod, once again portrayed by Michael Shannon, who previously appeared in the role in 2013's Man of Steel.
The once great and almost tragic villain was reduced to a background bad guy for the heroes to encounter in the obligatory final battle, something even the actor admitted in one of the interviews when he called Man of Steel a "pretty sophisticated story" that explored his character well, unlike the 2023 film.
And yet, in a recent interview with Empire, Shannon threw shade at big blockbusters, saying he doesn't find them "very stimulating to work on" or interesting in general.
The actor doesn't want to get stuck in a franchise, which has been the fate of many superhero movie actors, adding that "the world doesn't need more mindless entertainment".
He compared Man of Steel to Star Wars, saying it was a much more "relevant story" and that he didn't see Zod as a villain, but rather as a man dedicated to protecting his species.
Given all that, fans find it strange that he agreed to appear in The Flash, though a solid paycheck and the fact that it was a one-time appearance rather than a full-fledged return to the DCU must have influenced his decision.
After all, the actor admitted that his character was kind of downgraded since it wasn't his story to begin with.
They also bring up his other appearances that are far from "high art," such as Kangaroo Jack and Bad Boys II (both premiered in 2003), although those happened quite a long time ago.
Still, Michael Shannon is an incredible actor who makes almost every movie he's in better, so even if his statement might seem questionable, it doesn't undermine his talent in any way.