Michael Shannon reprises his role as General Zod in The Flash, something that he has previously spoken about enjoying after seeming to have been done with the role after Man of Steel. However the actor spoke in a recent interview about the offer he was given to appear in a Star Wars movie back in 2016, which was something he turned down for a very specific reason; he didn’t want to be part of something he called “mindless entertainment.”
Some would argue that there is very little difference between Star Wars movies and comic book movies in terms to the kind of fantasy entertainment they provide, which instantly sets up questions about Shannon’s opinion. However, in an interview with Empire Magazine, the actor said:
"I'm always a bit wary about those giant movies. Because they take a lot of time and I don't find them very stimulating to work on. I don't ever want to get stuck in a franchise. I don't find them interesting and I don't want to perpetuate them. If l'm making something, I want there to be some kind of purpose to it— I don't want to make mindless entertainment. The world doesn't need more mindless entertainment. We're inundated with it."
Of course, Shannon’s ideas about the “mindless” world of Star Wars and other big franchise movies isn’t something that is new, as many directors have openly criticized the likes of the MCU for destroying cinema and killing off their industry…by being the highest grossing movies at the box office. Go figure.
Michael Shannon Was Happy But Confused by his Return as Zod in The Flash.
Michael Shannon’s previous comments about her return as General Zod in The Flash don’t quite sit with his opinions about the Star Wars franchise and other big movies. While the actor noted his initial confusion at being asked back, once he was made aware of the multiverse angle then it became a little clearer. Perhaps knowing this was a one-off return also helped him decide to come back. He said of his return:
"I was a little confused. As memory serves me, I think I died in Man of Steel. Are they sure they got the right guy? But then they explained to me the whole multiverse phenomenon, which... I was a little behind the times on that. I can't say that I'm a huge consumer of this genre of films -- not that I have anything against them. If I'm going to watch a movie, the odds are it's not going to be one of those, but I sure love making them."
The Flash is set to be one of the biggest movies of the summer, having recently landed a decent 73% Rotten Tomatoes score and continued to build up the hype over the return of Michael Keaton as Batman. Whether any of these reviewers have seen the version that will actually hit cinemas next week is yet to be seen, with Warner Bros. reportedly still not showing the full final cut of the movie in screenings.