Syfy Superman Prequel ‘Krypton’ Casts Kal-El’s Grandpa

Just as TV prepares to meet a new Superman, Syfy is hard at work fleshing out his origins in a galaxy far, far away. New Super-prequel Krypton has found its leading man, none other than the Man of Steel’s ancestor, as played by actor Cameron Cuffe.

Per the official press release, Irish actor Cuffe will play Kal-El’s grandfather Seg-El, who “fights to redeem his family’s honor and save his beloved world from chaos.” So reads a description from Deadline:

Destined to be the ancestor of Jor-El (future father of Superman) and Kal-El (the future Superman), Seg-El is the scion of the once prosperous El family and is blessed with an intuitive brilliance for all things technical; he is now living in Krypton’s lowest caste after his family was stripped of its rank.

Previously, the series cast King Arthur star Georgina Campbell as Lyta Zod, described as “a member of Krypton’s military caste and the daughter of a general, Alura Zod. Lyta Zod serves as a cadet — and has also been having a clandestine, forbidden romance with Seg-El.”

The new series will be executive produced by Man of Steel scribe David Goyer and directed by Peaky Blinders helmer Colm McCarthy, while Sleepy Hollow alum Damian Kindler recently joined as executive producer and showrunner. Goyer and Kindler will rewrite the original pilot teleplay, itself co-penned by Goyer and Ian Goldberg.

Set 200 years before (but not directly tied to) Man of Steel, so reads the Krypton synopsis:

Years before the Superman legend we know, the House of El was shamed and ostracized. This series follows The Man of Steel’s grandfather as he brings hope and equality to Krypton, turning a planet in disarray into one worthy of giving birth to the greatest Super Hero ever known.

No telling what kind of Kryptonian shenanigans Super-grandpa or Zod’s folks will get up to, but does Krypton still sound of interest?