Laurence Fishburne: Joins ‘Man of Steel’; Praised by CBS Chief (Audio)

*Laurence Fishburne has reportedly been cast in the Superman reboot “Man of Steel.”

Fresh from his stint on “CSI,” Fishburne will play Perry White, the long-standing editor-in-chief of Metropolis  newspaper The Daily Planet, according to EW.com.

Perry White is Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s hard-charging, occasionally comic-relief-bestowing boss. Warner Bros., however, is not yet making the official announcement, with a rep telling MTV News the studio cannot comment on the reports.

Fishburne, the first African-American actor to portray White, follows in the footsteps of Jackie Cooper, who played the newsman in Christopher Reeve’s “Superman” films; Frank Langella, who stepped into White’s shoes for 2006′s “Superman Returns”; and Michael McKean, who took on a short Perry arc on TV in “Smallville.”

As previously reported, Fishburne is being replaced on CBS’ “CSI” this fall by Ted Danson. In the audio bonus below, network head Nina Tassler took some time out this morning to comment on Fishburne’s run.

CBS Entertainment Chief Nina Tassler on transition from Laurence Fishburne to Ted Danson on CSI by CherieNic