Zack Snyder will be directing Man of Steel. In a just-posted UPDATE, Snyder himself comments on the situation.
"I've been a big fan of the character for a long time, he's definitely the king of all superheroes, he's the one," Snyder told Deadline. "It's early yet, but I can tell you that what David and Chris have done with the story so far definitely has given me a great insight into a way to make him feel modern. I've always felt he was kind of awesome. I'll finish Sucker Punch and get right at it."
Says Deadline, "Zack Snyder has been chosen to direct the new installment of Superman. He was on my short list of directors that the studio was considering and producers Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas met with. Snyder is an interesting choice. He is a cornerstone filmmaker for Warner Bros, after directing 300 and the upcoming Suckerpunch."
No doubt much more to come.
Snyder, of course, also directed the adaptation of Watchmen which in the eyes of some was a pretty astounding achievement. One would imagine his creative accomplishment with that film coupled with the success of 300 and what the studio has seen of Sucker Punch have all combined to make him seem like the perfect person to direct.
UPDATES:
The timing couldn't be more perfect for MTV News, which spoke to Zack Snyder about the Superman gig, and to whom the director was pretty enthusiastic in his responses, beginning with the fact that he viewed the gig as "an amazing opportunity."
MTV News was lucky enough to chat with the man in question for a few minutes to address the big news. "It is pretty awesome," Snyder said. "I'm really excited, and I feel like it's an amazing opportunity." He went on to explain that his meeting with Nolan and Emmas Thomas consisted largely of talking about what the Man of Steel means to people today and the character's potential.
"I think that those conversations felt free from teh pressure of an 'audition' and felt more just talking about a character that we both liked. It was really, at that point, I was content if I was the one picked or not, that I had a great visit. From a creative and fan point of view, I was satisfied and that was cool."
He also reassured fans that the character was being looked after "with care," and he credits Nolan's team with coming up with a story that answers the question, "Why remake Superman?" and proves that the character is still relevant for modern audiences.
As to Nolan's involvement he enthuses, "I have a lot of respect for him. I would think that he would be [heavily involved]."
Over at USA Today, while remaining silent on the film's story or approach, he did offer, "Other superheroes, mainly male, have gotten to evolve over the years. Batman. The X-Men. But I think the first (Superman) movies were so well done, he kind of got stuck. I think our challenge is to bring him to a modern audience that's still respectful of the character."
The L.A. Times also had the opportunity to speak to Snyder. When asked why he was approached, Snyder admits that he isn't sure himself, "other than the fact that they know I have a fondness for the character and a real desire to understand him and present him to a new audience. The challenge is huge but you know with Chris and Emma and Debbie I have a lot of people I can rely on. And Chris and David have given this the shape with a great story. It is a hard character to crack."
Again the viability of the character to today's audience came up. "I think he is viable, yes," says Snyder. "He endures. We all want to know, 'How will he come to us now?' He is the biggest and the baddest of them all. The greatest of them all, right? We all want to know how the next chapter takes shape. I want to know how it will take shape."
