Michael Shannon 'surprised by Man of Steel role'

Michael Shannon has revealed that he was surprised to be offered the role of General Zod in the upcoming Superman: Man of Steel.

The Oscar-nominated actor said that he thought there was "something wrong" when director Zack Snyder contacted him about the project.

He told Shortlist: "It was one of the most surreal experiences of my life because I was against this panoramic window, looking out on these beautiful hills, rose bushes and hummingbirds while Zack was saying, 'And then, on Krypton, this happens'.

"By the end, I was kind of confused. I was like, 'Is this an offer or not?' We shook hands and he said he wanted me as Zod. I was thinking, 'There's something wrong here. This is one of the largest films around. I'm not Robert De Niro - I don't understand why this is being plonked on my lap'."

He added that he needed to take a "chemistry test" with leading man Henry Cavill, to make sure they would work on screen together.

"Warner Bros said they needed to see me and Henry together first. They called it a 'chemistry test'. I was like, 'What, do Zod and Superman make out? You want to see if any sparks fly?'"

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Watch Michael Shannon talk to Digital Spy below: