Kneel before Zod.

Spoken by Terrence Stamp, those words have become a key part of the Superman mythology. And in Zack Snyder's upcoming reboot of the franchise it will be "Boardwalk Empire's" Michael Shannon who is giving the orders.

Shannon, who plays Internal Revenue Agent Van Alden in HBO's prohibition series, has signed on to star in "The Man Of Steel" as Gen. Zod, the Kryptonian nemesis of Superman.

“Zod is not only one of Superman’s most formidable enemies, but one of the most significant because he has insights into Superman that others don’t," Snyder said in an official statement. "Michael is a powerful actor who can project both the intelligence and the malice of the character, making him perfect for the role.”

News that Zod will be part of the rebooted series should come as a no surprise as casting choices for the character have been circling the Internet for a while. Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen was previous tipped to be taking on the role, especially when he dropped out of "The Huntsman," lending to speculation that he would be going up against Clark Kent (Henry Cavill).

The cast for "The Man Of Steel" is now starting to come together, with Amy Adams joining the movie as Lois Lane, starring alongside Diane Lane and Kevin Costner as Mr. and Mrs. Kent.

No details on the plot of the movie have been announced but it seems clear that fans of the franchise can expect a harsher view of the hero thanks to Chris Nolan's input. The "Batman Begins" and "Inception" director is serving as a producer on the project and is said to have been crucial in breaking the story.

The movie is targeting a 2012 release.