Superman's Villain?

Scroll down for an update to this story.

There's been so much chatter on the casting of the Superman villain lately that you have to take this with a grain of salt -- as per usual on superhero movie casting tips. But at the same time, that increase in chatter probably means that director Zack Snyder and Warner Bros. are getting close to picking someone for the role. So what's the latest word?

Deadline, a site that gets these things right pretty often (while also serving as a mouthpiece for interested parties at times), says that "there's interest in" Michael Shannon to play the bad guy. He just finished up the first season of Boardwalk Empire.

This comes on the heels of Latino Review's report that the actor Edgar Ramirez (of the Carlos miniseries) was up for the gig. That same site also reported earlier this week that Viggo Mortensen was out of the running for the role altogether… whoever the character winds up being. (Please let it be Darkseid.)

Update: A new development has emerged in the search for the Man of Steel's villain. Variety reports that Viggo Mortensen will not be starring in Universal's Snow White and the Huntsman, formally ending months of negotiations. That means that his schedule opens up now for Superman. "Director Zack Snyder is reportedly interested in Mortensen," says the trade.

Hopefully he'll go with his Eastern Promises look if he gets the gig.

• More Movies News
• Latest Movies News, Reviews, and Videos