(originally posted on my blog 2/27/11)

What do Viggo Mortensen and Kevin Costner have in common other then they have BOTH been mentioned as being “of Interest” for the new Zach Snyder helmed Superman reboot? The same die hard audience is what. That being pretty much every older female nerd I have EVER met in my life – and possibly every single one out there. It’s like the “Caine / Hackman Theory” from PCU; If you know an older female nerd, chances are she likes one of these two if not BOTH. Yes that is a grand and assumptive statement. But there is a scientific reason why Snyder’s previous hit “300” did so amazingly well at the box office; Chemistry! As in Hormones.

Women hit their sexual peak in their 30’s. The biological imperative begins to apply huge amounts of pressure to find a mate and fast as the time frame to have a baby grows short. Even if a woman has no interest in having a baby – her body is still trying to. Couple that with the social trend of women to simply be more comfortable with themselves when they get older due to experience. Together you have the wonderful set of circumstances that support a whole bevy of industries like Romance novel publications, Male strippers, and the occasional film where 300 ripped, tanned, and well oiled dudes fight a war in naught but their underwear. You can basically chalk Gerard Butler’s entire career on the hormonal and lusty.

Now I KNOW what you are saying – and I agree, there is nothing attractive about Kevin Costner. I am in NO WAY trying to infer parallels of his aesthetic value to anyone in 300 (in fact the idea of him tanned, oiled, and in loincloth is a sure fire way to never have sex again). But some lusty 30 something gals got crushes on him in Robin Hood back in the day; and ANYONE who has ever been to a convention KNOWS how insanely loyal Science Fiction and Fantasy fans can be. Thusly 20 years later the now 50 something women STILL like him. Films like Water World, and The Postman (despite how poorly they did at the box office) have endeared him still to those ladies. Whether Costner wants it or not – he does get some nerd cred.

Admit it, you like it, and the only thing that would have made it better is zombies.

With Mortensen, well….

If you can't figure why your female nerd friends or girlfriend like him this photo explains it all

So what does this mean for the the Superman reboot? Well as the linked to article from the Hollywood reporter mentions nothing is set and no one is signed. Do I think Snyder is in any way doing this because of the spending power of the above spoken about demographic? NO. I do think these would make great casting choices for both characters of General Zod and Pa Kent. Plus I just find it REALLY humorous. Given all the heavy shit coming down here in Wisconsin it is just nice to speculate about something that really isn’t of any great consequence and of SOME levity.

The older female nerd demographic also – in MY humble opinion – doesn’t get much love from the greater nerd-sphere press. Young female geeks get a decent amount of attention – and many times so if they are attractive looking. Not to mention the various media hopefuls that play the Nerd game to garner attention ( female G4 tv personalities I am looking at YOU ). But there is a great core of supportive matronly (and sometimes MILFy) nerds out there making their own subtle mark on the market. Zach Snyder may be approaching casting purely from the directorial stance of who will best help tell the story he wants to tell. But if these two get cast I won’t be surprised to see every older female nerd I know at the movie house opening night. And that is not exactly something I can say for ALL the comic adapted films currently slated to hit theaters some time in the next couple of years.