Superman’s Terence Stamp: “The Very Best of All Those Comic Book Movies”

Terence Stamp, who played General Zod in Superman: The Movie and Superman II, is still traveling in DC Comics circles, even if he’s not in any particular hurry to see Man of Steel and compare notes with Michael Shannon’s portrayal of the character.He’s off soon, he told IndieWire, to work on a film directed by Batman‘s Tim Burton and starring Man of Steel‘s Amy Adams (that would be Big Eyes, in which Adams plays painter Margaret Keane). He tells people on public transportation to kneel before Zod. And he still believes that his Superman films are the best comic book movies out there, in spite of recent hits like The Avengers and The Dark Knight.”I got recalled to do the first two Superman movies, that I think are the very best of all those comic book movies,” said the actor, who didn’t work for much of the 1970s. “But during that leave of absence, I guess I changed, like emotionally, I was changed from a leading man to a character actor. In a way it was very painful at the time, but it’s proven to be a blessing in disguise. The reason that I’ve had such a long career is because I’m up for anything. I’m sort of fearless at this point in my life. So even when I did General Zod, can you really imagine Robert Redford or Warren Beatty playing General Zod? I was of a similar ilk.”Asked whether he had seen Man of Steel yet, the actor said, “No, I haven’t, and I don’t know whether I’m curious or not. It was so emotional for me to work with Richard Donner and Chris Reeve — and Brando! I got to work with Marlon. See the director’s cut of Superman II, because all of the Brando footage is back in, and he’s so funny, he’s so charming. I’m sure this modern one is really good and I’m sure it’s made for teenagers of the day, but I’d be surprised if it has the kind of humor and the lightness of touch that Marlon and Chris brought to it.”