Russell Crowe has landed the key role of Jor-El, Superman’s biological father, in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot.
While Kevin Costner has already signed on to play Jonathan Kent, Clark Kent’s human father, Jor-El is Superman’s Kryptonian father who died during the destruction of the superhero’s home planet.
The role was most famously brought to life on screen by Marlon Brando, who played the part in Richard Donner’s original Superman .
Footage from that appearance was also resurrected and re-used in Bryan Singer’s more recent Superman Returns.
It’s not hard to see why Snyder was keen to cast a big name in the role, and Crowe’s gruff swagger should bring the requisite pomp to the part.
Jor-El’s wife Lara is yet to be cast, though Dark Horizon s report that Crowe’s Gladiator co-star Connie Nielsen is in negotiations for the role.
That means we should probably expect to see a flashback to Superman's origins in Snyder's system reboot.
Man Of Steel opens summer 2012.
