Director Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen, Sucker Punch) has been confirmed as the director of the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures reboot of Superman (a.k.a. Superman: Man of Steel) being overseen by producer/director Christopher Nolan (Inception, Untitled Batman Project).

Snyder was one of the directors reported to be on the studio’s short list that also included Duncan Jones (Moon, Source Code), Matt Reeves (Let Me In), Tony Scott (Unstoppable) and Jonathan Liebesman (Battle: Los Angeles).

THR reports that the script, written by David S. Goyer and Jonathan Nolan is rumored to have, like “Superman Returns,” a Richard Donner Superman connection. In the movie’s case, it’s a villain connection: General Zod.

Snyder, says that he’s “psyched” about the gig and said of Christopher Nolan:

“In the initial meetings, he’s been super amazingly smart and also amazingly kind, filmmaker-to-filmmaker. “I have great respect for him. The process has been amazing so far, and it looks like nothing but pluses.”

Snyder also expressed hit affection for Superman saying,

“The character deserves to be loved. It’s his time”

Although an official production date has not been set, Warner Bros. needs to get the project underway by 2011, or else some of the Superman rights will revert back to the estates of creators Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel.

Superman is slated to hit theaters in 2012.