Michael Shannon Says Returning to the Role of Zod Wasn’t “Satisfying,” Praises ‘The Flash’ Co-Star Ezra Miller

Michael Shannon recently got candid about how it felt to return to his Man of Steel role of General Zod in upcoming movie The Flash.

Shannon stars alongside Ezra Miller in the multiverse movie that also sees the return of Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton’s Batmans, and Sasha Calle portraying Supergirl.

“I’m not gonna lie, it wasn’t quite satisfying for me, as an actor,” Shannon told Collider of reprising the role. “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!'”

He 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. I feel like The Flash is too, but it’s not Zod’s story. I’m basically there to present a challenge.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the George & Tammy actor praised Miller when asked what he was most looking forward to audiences seeing in the DC film, explaining the actor’s performance is “fascinating.”

“I can’t wait to see this performance. It’s a huge challenge,” Shannon explained. “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.”

The Flash was screened in full for the first time at CinemaCon in April, where Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav proclaimed that it was “the best superhero movie” he had ever seen. Ahead of the screening, co-head of DC Studios Peter Safran and director Andy Muschietti also sang Miller’s praises.

“I discovered they are an incredible comedian and also [handled] all the action required for a big spectacle like this,” the helmer said. “They wanted to do all the stunts, and I let them.”

Despite positive first reactions to the film, it has been plagued with controversy surrounding Miller, who last year was the subject of a series of bad headlines, including charges of harassment and felony burglary, as well as allegations of assault and abuse.

In August 2022, Miller released a statement apologizing for their behavior and citing “complex mental health issues,” for which they began treatment. “I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior,” the statement read. “I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life.”

The Flash hits theaters on June 16.