'I always felt like I was in a scene with Superman,' Cavill's co-star Michael Shannon tells MTV News of his work on the Zack Snyder superhero flick.

When "Man of Steel" hits theaters next June, you'll believe a man can fly, and that's all thanks to the convincing work of leading man Henry Cavill.

Speaking with MTV News at the red carpet premiere of "Boardwalk Empire" this week, "Man of Steel" actor Michael Shannon — who plays the villain in the Zack Snyder-directed action film — expressed his admiration for Cavill's work ethic and his amazing transformation into the Last Son of Krypton.

"I always felt like I was in a scene with Superman," Shannon said of Cavill's performance. "I never looked at him and thought that's just somebody trying to be Superman — he felt like the real deal."

Easily one of the most iconic characters in the DC Comics library, if not the most iconic, Superman comes with no small amount of baggage to his name. Christopher Reeve played the role to legendary heights over four "Superman" films of varying quality; even in the lower-grade movies, however, Reeve's turn as Clark Kent was nothing short of revered. Indeed, Reeve set a precedent that Brandon Routh failed to meet in "Superman Returns" in the eyes of many fans. That only puts more pressure on Cavill, the latest to fight for truth, justice and the American way on the big-screen. Based on Shannon's praise, it sounds like fans have little to worry about. Part of what makes Cavill's performance so strong in the "Boardwalk Empire" actor's eyes is the amount of effort Cavill put into getting the globally-recognized superhero right.

"I really admire Henry's work ethic. I really haven't seen anybody in this business work quite that hard," said Shannon. "Obviously it's a tremendous responsibility, and an intimidating one, to wear that suit. But he had the confidence and the work ethic to accomplish it."

"Man of Steel," co-starring Amy Adams and Laurence Fishburne, soars into theaters on June 14, 2013.

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