With all the excitement over the GREEN LANTERN trailer, some of you maniacs might have gotten your minds off the new SUPERMAN movie. You know, the one that Christopher Nolan's producing, David Goyer's scripting and Zack Snider's directing.  Now that the key creative personnel's been locked, Deadline says it’s officially time for perhaps the most contentious part of the movie production process - - the casting race. Remember the ones we watched this year for Captain America? And, before that, the new Spider-Man movie? We’re going to be seeing all of that all over again as the search has begun for actors in the 28-to-32 age range who’re most likely going to be unknowns or lesser-knowns.

The age bracket and fame status pretty much immediately rules out fan favorite Jon Hamm. The three actors already being talked about are Arnie Hammer from THE SOCIAL NETWORK, Joe Manganiello of TRUE BLOOD and Ian Somerhalder of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES. You can look at their respective head   shots below…

Gallery

Interestingly enough, Hammer was about three days away from playing Batman in the cancelled JUSTICE LEAGUE movie while Manganiello, I believe, has actually been publically campaigning for the role.  

Any speculation might be for naught as every actor who’s played Superman before - - from George Reeves to Christopher Reeve, and from Dean Cain to Tom Welling - - was basically an unknown prior to that. I don’t have any picks, myself, but I do believe that whoever they pick needs to have that commanding, stealy stare that Reeve was able to turn on whenever he stopped being Clark Kent. I think Brandon Routh is a fine actor - - he was so awesome in SCOTT PILGRIM - - but I never go that kind of intensity from him in SUPERMAN RETURNS.

Now, it’s time for the real speculation. Who do you maniacs think should be the new Man of Steel?

Tom Pinchuk’s the writer of  HYBRID BASTARDS!  &  UNIMAGINABLE . Order them on Amazon   here  &   here .  Follow him on Twitter:  @tompinchuk

Of those three, the True Blood Guy looks more like Superman than the other two.  
 
Jon Hamm Would've been better than any of these people. 

Bring back Routh!

My hope will always be Tom Wheling. But I love Ian and he is one of my favorite actors and Vampire Diaries is one of my favorite shows and I would be astatic for him to be Superman.

Nicholas Cage  
 

Yup, makes for some of those 10 year old pre-Superman Returns rumors a bit more valid! 
 
Or what about Will Smith? 
 
    
 
Hey, if he was being considered for Captain America, why not Superman?

YES YES GOOD START

Hmm very interesting...I'm still not sure myself...so right now its unknown for me to choose who should be Superman. hmmm.

Jon Manganiello kind of looks the part...

Joe Manganeillo is what Superman should look like. Someone who would knock you out with one punch, but likes chooses not to. 

" Of those three, the True Blood Guy looks more like Superman than the other two.   Jon Hamm Would've been better than any of these people.  "

Never mind, he's got my full support. Look: 
 

Joe is the only one of those I can see as kal-el and he was in a superhero movie before. He played Flash Thompson in the spiderman movies. And he's talked about how much he wanted to play the part, for awhile now.

The only one out of those who I would by as Clark look-wise is Joe.

I say that Tom Welling should be casted to make the movie tie in as later in life for Superman and the Smallville series. 
 
And if I had to pick one of the three, I choose Ian Somerhalder because I love watching anything he is in.

I thought Routh was perfect the story just sucked..  eh. whatever.

" Bring back Routh! "

Yeah, I'm not really too fond of any of these guys...

best clark kent i have ever seen on film was tom welling from episode four of this seasons smallville in the elevator when clark gets sent to the future and meets his awesome future self. i would be super happy if thats how he was portrayed in the new movie. half him nerdy but with his sh*t together....

I don't see why John Hamm can't play Superman, sure he may be older than the typical superhero casting.  But Superman has always seemed like a mature, older, superhero.

" Yeah, I'm not really too fond of any of these guys... "

" @FadeToBlackBolt said:

" Yeah, I'm not really too fond of any of these guys... "

I agree. I think the first two would be alright. I have no idea why the 3rd guy is an option. I think Brandon Routh should get another shot for sure. "

" Yeah, I'm not really too fond of any of these guys... "

" the story just sucked..  eh. whatever. "

Honestly? I think the next Superman movie should star Welling and Rosenbaum. I mean... we've all basically seen the same thing over and over again in Superman movies, why not go for something different? Hell, Bring back Doomsday (not Davis), Rosenbaum in that armor and Welling for one more time in the ol' blue and red.

Whatever problems arose from Superman Returns it fell into the hands of the writers/director.  It was an awful story that was stuck in the Richard Donner mindset of the 70s films.  While those films are fine for their era the new one needed to move forward and evolve.  Routh was the biggest surprise about that movie for me since he was about the only person to fail at his/her job with the production.  He showed a great dead-pan style of humor in Scott Pilgrim and I think that would work well for Superman.  C'mon, Snyder, get the right man for the job!  

" Honestly? I think the next Superman movie should star Welling and Rosenbaum.

Team Hamm.

No Welling for the movie please.

" I thought Routh was perfect the story just sucked..  eh. whatever. "

I'm Team Routh in this one, for me the story didn't let him shine the way Superman should, but I think he can pull it off if they let him loose. I'll go for Hamm for a Kingdom Come -like movie, that would rock!
 
As for Mr. Welling, he gained again my respect this season, but his smallville-verse is another monster of it's own, that mmay stay in the tv, becauses it involves many other dc characters that it has explored, and may confuse  the audience.

I can see that Ian guy as Sups

I thought Jon Hamm would have been perfect. I also agree with @Sobe Cin who said:

"

hell they should let Zachary Quinto do the role. He's got the look down, too bad he's one year too old. "

" No Welling for the movie please. "

Routh definetley deserves another chance
 
 
 
hell......we should start a fan petition to get him another chance at the role

"

Nicholas Cage  
 

 

"

" I'm still all for Brandon Routh reprising his role as Superman. I liked him very much as Supe, but the script for Superman Returns was pretty much crap. "

IAN SOMERHALDER!!! (MY HUSBAND) YASS! He would have to bulk up a bit though. 

Somerhalder? Really? That's almost as ridiculous as the Nic Cage rumor for Superman Returns. Almost. 

I'm a Smallville basher but I'd pick Welling over that Armie and Ian. Just no Superman in them.

I'd pick Routh every time, he had the role nailed down in Returns, he was just let down by the rest of the production. 
 
What about Jeffrey Donovan from Burn Notice? I don't think he'd be the worst fit ever..

I always thought Brandon Routh is great so why do we need another Superman? 

The new Superman MUST be an unknown actor like Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh. Just stick with Routh please.

I' like to stick with Routh, but that's not going to happen. I'm not even sure it should happen since it's a different universe. Honestly, I'll accept whoever they choose as I have faith. Someone mentioned Jared Padalecki, which is actually I choice I kind of like, but that's just me. Of course, I'm sure most people would probably think "why not just cast Welling then".