New 'Superman' Cast Takes Shape With Spacey, Marsden

He cast an unknown for the lead role in "Superman Returns"; and now director Bryan Singer is stocking the remainder of his Man of Steel movie revival with a bevy of familiar faces.

According to the Hollywood Reporter online, James Marsden, who played Cyclops in Singer's smash "X-Men" films, will play Richard White, Lois Lane's love interest in "Superman Returns."

The casting just follows the announcement of Singer's reunion with his "The Usual Suspects" star, Kevin Spacey, who will play Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor.

Spacey won his first Oscar, for Best Supporting Actor, for his role in "The Usual Suspects."

The Reporter says yet another former Singer veteran, Hugh Laurie, is in negotiations to play (Superman alter-ego) Clark Kent's employer, Daily Planet editor in chief Perry White.

Laurie currently stars in the medical drama "House," which Singer produces and directed the pilot for.

Brandon Routh, who previously had roles in television's "One Life to Live" and "The Gilmore Girls," was cast as Superman/Clark Kent in October.

According to the Reporter, Spacey's "Beyond the Sea" co-star Kate Bosworth is in negotiations to play Lois Lane.

The new "Superman" project is under the auspices of Warner Bros. Pictures, the studio that produced the last four "Superman" movies starring the late Christopher Reeve.

"Superman Reborn" is set to be released June 2006. It follows the re-emergence another classic DC Comics/Warner Bros. character, Batman.

Starring Christian Bale as the Bruce Wayne/Batman, "Batman Begins" will be released June 17.

The action-adventure is being helmed by "Memento" filmmaker Christopher Nolan and also stars Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Ken Watanabe and Katie Holmes.