Batman Vs. Superman Casts Holly Hunter, Tao Okamoto In Key Supporting Roles

Everyone knows Henry Cavill will be back in the tights for Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel sequel. The same people know that Ben Affleck has been cast as The G.D. Batman. But two men (and a Gal Gadot) do not a movie make. They need support, and Snyder’s starting to fill secondary roles.

The most recent hires for the blockbuster tentpole – which begins filming in Michigan shortly – are Holly Hunter, Callan Mulvey and Tao Okamoto, according to a studio release (via ComingSoon). And here’s a VERY interesting angle. They all will be playing "characters newly created for the film." Sorry, Lana Lang. You ain’t making it into this sequel! (Not yet, anyway.)

Hunter, of course, is an Oscar winning actress best known for her roles in The Piano, Broadcast News and, more recently, Top of the Lake.

Holly Hunter

Mulvey had a recent role in 300: Rise of an Empire (a sequel/prequel to Snyder’s own 300):

Callan Mulvey

And Okamoto acted alongside Hugh Jackman in the standalone film The Wolverine.

Tao Okamoto

Of their casting, Snyder said:

"Holly has always been one of my favorite actresses; she has immense talent and is always captivating on screen. I had an opportunity to meet her a while back and knew instantly that I had to work with her, so as we began writing the script I made sure to create a role specifically for her."I just had the good fortune to work with Callan on 300: Rise of an Empire and was very impressed with his incredible talent. He’s a fantastic actor and I’m looking forward to having the chance to work with him again. And, quite simply, Tao is a striking presence whose beauty is aptly rivaled by her amazing abilities as an actress. I’m really excited to have her joining us on this adventure."

Speculating on whom they could play is ridiculously hard. They could be supporting roles on Batman’s side of the equation. They could be portals into Wonder Woman’s mythology. Mulvey could be playing a villain. They might not even have speaking parts!

But the wheels are turning on the film, which is set to open on May 6, 2016. Prepare for endless updates, and boundless speculation.

Sean O'Connell
Managing Editor

Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. Having been with the site since 2011, Sean interviewed myriad directors, actors and producers, and created ReelBlend, which he proudly cohosts with Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. And he's the author of RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT, the Spider-Man history book WITH GREAT POWER, and an upcoming book about Bruce Willis.