If you’re looking for the man who will be playing Superman in Zack Snyder’s upcoming big screen reboot, then you’d best cross Jon Hamm off your list…
A pity, this, but not a surprise. Back when it was announced that Christopher Nolan was overseeing the cinematic rebirth of the Superman franchise, and even when the reins to it were passed over to Zack Snyder, there was some chatter that Jon Hamm might be in line to play the Man Of Steel.
This always looked unlikely, if we're being honest. Hamm, best known for his superb work on Mad Men, is turning 40 in March. And 40-year-old men just don't get the lead in superhero movies any more. Especially superhero movies where the studio will be looking to bash out a couple of further sequels before the next reboot.
It's still a shame, but any lingering hope that Hamm might be being considered for Superman was extinguished on the red carpet for the Critics' Choice Awards. There, MTV asked the actor whether there was anything in the Superman talk, and Snyder confirmed to him that it's a "young man's game", and that Hamm has been "aged out".
It is a bit depressing. Not the Superman casting, per se, although I, for one, would love to have seen Hamm in the role. But personally, I grew up watching Roger Moore and Sean Connery as James Bond, with Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker as Doctor Who, and with Christopher Reeve as Superman.
Was age a barrier to me enjoying or appreciating those performances? Not at all. And while some roles are right for younger actors, Hollywood's obsession with the youngest it can get away with in key franchises continues to worry.
To be fair to Superman, if it does go down some element of early Superman story (as rumours suggest it will), then a younger actor would be the right choice for the role. But woe betide said actor if he has the temerity to grow old. And this is, lest we forget, in an industry where actors have it a lot easier in that department than actresses. Were it a new Supergirl that was being cast, then the casting call would be unlikely to ask for anyone over 25.
Here's the piece from MTV.
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