"Mindless Entertainment:" Why Man Of Steel"s General Zod Actor Turned Down Star Wars

Actor Michael Shannon has commented on his decision to turn down a role in a Star Wars movie from 2016. The initial report that Shannon had been offered a gig in one of Disney's biggest franchises came only a year after the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Since then, Shannon has not been part of the Star Wars franchise and recently commented on his decision to turn down a role in a galaxy far, far away.
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Shannon was asked to outline his decision not to appear in Star Wars, and whether that decision stemmed from his want of valuable messages being ingrained into his roles. Shannon replied:

"I'm always a bit wary about those giant movies. Because they take a lot of time and I don't find them very stimulating to work on. I don't ever want to get stuck in a franchise. I don't find them interesting and I don't want to perpetuate them. If l'm making something, I want there to be some kind of purpose to it— I don't want to make mindless entertainment. The world doesn't need more mindless entertainment. We're inundated with it."

Shannon's comments are certainly interesting, with the actor implying that Star Wars falls under the category of mindless entertainment. This is an outlook shared by many in the world of film, with acclaimed filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese all criticizing another of Disney's franchises in the MCU. With Shannon though, the comments could be seen as ironic given his appearance as General Zod in 2013's Man of Steel and 2023's The Flash. Regardless, it is clear the role Shannon was offered in Star Wars did not resonate with him, with the actor clearly set against an appearance in any upcoming Star Wars movies too.