Man of Steel’s Costner: “I’m a Small Part of Something Epic and Classic”

Kevin Costner is an Academy Award-winning actor and director responsible for films like Field of Dreams, Dances With Wolves and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. He’s also appearing in Zack Snyder’s Superman reboot Man of Steel, set to hit theaters on Thursday night.After telling the BBC that “the film doesn’t work without Henry [Cavill],” a ringing endorsement of his co-star, Costner joined ComicBook.com and other reporters last night at the Man of Steel World Premiere to discuss the film.What did you think of Zack Snyder as the film’s director?He went after it in a big way. I mean, it was a feast I think for people who love this, who want to get behind it. And the fights are epic. They go on. He does not short-change people. This wades right into the heartbeat of what I think somebody likes about a superhero. So Zack really I think more than anything held the fans on his shoulders and made this movie.Is this cool to share with your kids, being that you’re Superman’s dad?Well, I have a 28-, a 26- and a 20-year-old, so I can share that with them. I have a six, a four and a two and they were like, “Huh?” They’re a little too young to see this right now because it’s pretty bold, pretty loud and a lot of people get beat up. But they will see it. I feel like I’m part–a small part of something that’s epic and classic–and that’s the only thing you can ask for when you enter into the world of film.What do you think of the new Superman costume?I just couldn’t do that. People would laugh. No one laughs when Henry puts it on; it makes sense.What super power would you want?I think I’d probably want to transport myself to great moments of the world–around the people who are shaping it, men and women, to see some of the great catastrophes, the great moments, the great heroism. I’d move around and see that; it would be a very cool thing.What’s your perspective on the famous “maybe” scene from the ads?Well I think you just have to understand that I’m human and I have two thoughts; one, selfishly, I want my son to live and I don’t want him to be taken away from me. So that’s the human part of Jonathan. It’s the real part that you wouldn’t–you know that he would be taken away. So he’s guilty of saying that. I think it’s a good moment for the film because I think every time you’re more real–even though it’s something you wish you didn’t say, I think that raises the stakes of the movie.