Earlier today The Hollywood Reporter, sigh, reported that Russell Crowe was in talks to play Superman's Kryptonian father Jor-El in the upcoming Zach Snyder Superman film, Man of Steel. And now Deadline confirms that the deal is done. Casting Crowe, a big-name award winning actor, in the role of Jor-El is very much in-line with Marlon Brando playing Jor-El in Superman: The Motion Picture.
Update: Deadline has changed their story to indicate that the deal with Crowe is indeed not yet done. With an actor this high profile you never know for sure until the ink is dry on the contracts.
Perhaps the climax of the film will be Jor-El and Pa Kent battling over who was the better Robin Hood. No one will see it coming!
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I am actually incredibly cool with that.
that’s so awesome. i love that man
that’s awesome
Marlon Brandow’s pinky finger > Russell Crowe
Heard the rumor, figured that was all it was going to amount to. Whoops.
I like it
@yyzKyle yes, because what this really needs to turn into is a debate about an old actor and how much better he is than a new actor. for reals?
i can’t beleive i just leaped to russel crowe’s defense.
Nice! Casting is not this film’s weak spot.
“ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?!” will be the end credits bonus scene. =)
Not a bad choice, really tough to out act Marlon Brando though.
It’s still funny to me that everyone in this film is a big name actor except the one playing Superman.
Sweet. I love the sub-title to this article. Well played Conor. Well played.
I can see it now:
ZOD: “You WILL bow down before me, Jor-El! You, or one da-” *hit in the face with thrown phone*
or
“Jor-El: Foightin’ ‘Round Krypton”
Jokes aside, this is great casting. I just hope the story and script can hold up.
Do we know yet what kind of story we are supposed to be getting? Is it Zod? Or at least someone he can actually, you know, fight?
This is awesome! Crowe, Costner, and Lane in the same movie?! And it’s a Superman flick?! It’s like they’re in my head! But seriously, Crowe is THE go-to guy when you want an epic, legendary figure. And in comics, ya can’t get much more epic that Jor-El and the destruction of Krypton. I have no doubt he’ll bring his usually intensity and gravitas to this role. I don’t see how this can miss.
@TheNextChampion & @yyzKyle: Anyone with an acting background can tell you that while Brando is one of the all-time greats, his performance in Superman is the very definition of “phoned in”. He might as well have mailed the performance from his island. So if we’re really going to split hairs, that’s something to consider.
There isn’t THAT much to live up to when you really think about it. Brando was in about 15 min of the movie.
I feel better about this cast than I did the last.
aproved.
@Woomer: I really hope Jor-El has a ship called ‘Tugger’.
At that time in his career, wasn’t Brando considered something of a primadonna? Sounds like the perfect recasting to me.
Thirty odd foot of Kryponian bad-ass!
My favorite current actor. Love this choice.
I think you mean, Russel Crowe has been cast as Russel Crowe in a costume.
Ambivalent on the choice, honestly. Could work, but I don’t see it.
@PraxJarvin Whoa whoa whoa. Are you saying Crowe can’t act? Have you seen the Insider? I won’t have it on my site. I won’t have it!
@ TNC That should be the name of the rocket that carries baby Kal to Earth! In my mind it already is………
HOLY SCHNICKIES!!!! I am now so thrilled for this movie! Now I will be the most looking forward to Crowe as Jor-El, not Costner as Pa Kent, not Lane as Ma, not Shannon as Zod & certainly not Adams as Lois Lane, but freaking Maximus Decimus Meridius, Robin Hood, Ben Wade playing Russel Fucking Crowe as Superman’s biological father! Snyder as just made me approve of this movie before its in production!
Awesome, Crowe was the better Robin Hood.
I am fine with this casting. Crowe, when not acting bat-shit crazy, can be a fine actor.
“Well, we sure had a good time today, didn’t we, kids? We fought some Daxamites, a few Ungarans, and a lot of Khunds, to name just a few.”
“Hey, hey, HEY! No one edits Jor-El, except for Jor-El!!!”
And then Cary Elwes was cast as Morgan Edge and after a three-way battle with two other clowns in the cast was declared victor and one TRUE Robin Hood. Or something.
Seriously though, this sounds interesting the more I think about it. An intense Jor-El, not that they’re going that way, would be something new and might embiggen the performance. Rusty/Jor-El vs Costner/Pa Kent sounds like a great scene too.
Rebooting/ rewriting the whole thing is ok in my book. Throw out the past, rewrite the whole thing!
Bob Barker would of been a better choice!
Weird. For whatever reason, Jor-El registered as Zod in my brain, and I thought this was awesome. Now, I am not so sure.
Perhaps an oddly specific request, but does anybody know who drew that panel of Jor-El and/or what series it came from? It feels a little like Byrne, but I’m not sure.
@360logic I think you’re right and think it’s from the man of steel mini, maybe issue 1 where he and kelex are talking about how close minded the science council has become.
Wasn’t the Superman story loosely inspired by a novel called Gladiator? Dun-dun-DUN!
As long as he pronounces Krypton as Krypton and not “Criptin”, I’m down.
And if they have Lex in this movie at all, I’m down but PLEASE no goofy Luthor.
All of you guys are racist.
An upcoming actor as Superman is more believable than looking at someone famous as you can’t help but think of the famous actors name where I just want to believe he’s Superman and a well rounded cast of known talent brings more good energy or tension for the newcomer to feed off, give substance to the supporting cast and the obvious attract a crowd.
@edward: Hey now. Don’t lump me in with the rest of these philistines. You guys have provided Hollywood with some of my favorite actors of all time. I dunno what’s in the water over there, but I am forever grateful.
I must say, this seems a bit odd, but then again, I’m sure casting “Vito Corleone” for Jor-El seemed kind of weird in 1978. And look how that turned out.
Please let superman come out good cause grean lantern is a mess
I like this casting, I think he’ll play a good disembodied arrogant genius father figure with repressed anger issues towards the ruling classes.