Because nostalgia proved to not work 20 years after the last movie, it definitely wouldn't closer to 30 years later.
Is it an alien invasion story if it's one (or two) aliens? We don't know the story, but we know what Goyer's done in the past, use villains that fit the theme and parallel the hero. Why would he stop that? Plus, what better way to establish Superman as Earth's greatest hero than having him square off with the survivors of his homeworld that are clearly bad? He could be amongst people of a similar but separate race or amongst his own people who share ideals the complete opposite of his. Of course, that's just a guess. But I don't see why they would choose Zod if there was no point.
Plus, every Superman story is about an alien that came to Earth. Superman isn't from Earth and fights a lot of villains that aren't from Earth.
Again this is just your assumption that Zod is supposedly the best villain for the movie, we have seen the movie yet.
Considering Goyer has made some bad stuff like Blade trinity, why should I assume that he is choosing the right villains when half of the stuff he made sucked. Sure he made some good stuff, but he has made enough bad stuff to find his judgment suspect.
Again why does Zod fit the context of the story better then Brainiac. We don't even know the story, so how does Zod fit better in this story then anyone else? How do you know that?
If the last film had a ton of big names and was still a disappointment, why should I assume that the big names attached this will make the movie good?
I didn't say the Captain America was as well known as Superman or that it was well known at all. But it is a movie that had Red Skull in it already.
So what? Its a movie no one has seen, its not TV all the time, there is tons of room for improvement. With Superman II, its an extremely well known film so everyone knows Zod's story, there is less room for improvement, Red Skull was Italian in the Cap movie no one saw, how did they ruin Zod in Superman II, what would the new movie improve about him? Also there has only been one Cap movie, that almost no one has seen. That doesn't make Skull as over exposed in pop culture then Zod is. Using Zod just seems like playing it safe, rather doing something new and different.
The thing is Brainiac has a different power set then Superman, so his fight scenes would be far more dynamic and unique then Zod, who just has the same powers as Superman.
Nostalgia for who? I don't understand why you think the studio would make a tribute to the second movie after the tribute to the first movie disappointed.
Goyer perhaps, maybe he but Zod in because he liked Superman II rather Zod being the best villain of the context. Zod being the best villain for the context of the story is nothing more then your assumption.
That was actually one of my first thoughts
"Now we can get an awesome fight without giant plastic wrap shields being thrown"
Why can't they do that with Brainiac or Metallo or anyone else?