DCU’s Lex Luthor Comments Make The Upcoming Superman Movie All The More Promising
Lex Luthor will soon debut in the DCU in 2025"s Superman, and Nicholas Hoult"s comments have made the movie even more promising. Nicholas Hoult will join a stacked cast for Superman, the first live-action movie of the DCU. Superman set photos have revealed early looks at this cast clad in their colorful costumes, which have turned out to be somewhat divisive long before being depicted on the big screen due to their more lighthearted and homemade feel - though the design choice can only be speculated on before story details for Superman emerge.
A sneak peek at Hoult on the set of Superman, meanwhile, has revealed that he will be sporting Luthor"s distinctive bald look in contrast to Jesse Eisenberg"s long-haired Lex in 2016"s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. This has instilled a certain measure of confidence in Hoult"s rendition as it appears it will be faithful to the comics, at least in appearance. As for which comics - Hoult"s recently revealed specific inspirations make the movie even more promising.
Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor Inspiration Makes DCU's Superman Even More Interesting Nicholas Hoult Was Inspired By A Comic Run That Stars A Nuanced Lex Luthor Close In an interview with Josh Horowitz shared via X, Nicholas Hoult was asked if there was one DC comic in particular that he kept returning to when preparing for the role. Hoult reminded Horowitz of Superman"s more general inspirations as unveiled by James Gunn, including All-Star Superman, before revealing that the one comic "[He] found [himself] picking up again a lot" was Lex Luthor: Man of Steel. His full response can be seen below:
2005"s Lex Luthor: Man Of Steel provides a nuanced and more sympathetic look at the titular villain, framing his antagonistic relationship with Superman from his perspective viewing his arch-nemesis as a demigod who believes himself superior to humanity. His perspective devolves into an obsession that ultimately still frames him as a ruthless figure, but the detailed look at how he gets there humanizes Luthor, turning him into a much more complex character. The fact that Hoult has used this version of the character as inspiration therefore promises a compelling depiction in Superman.
DCU's Lex Luthor Inspiration May Be Closer To The Movie's Story Than It Looks Lex Luthor Uses Superheroes To His Advantage In Lex Luthor: Man Of Steel Close Lex Luthor: Man of Steel sees Luthor attempting to turn the public against Superman and using other superheroes to help him achieve this goal. Batman is one hero he attempts to get on-side, though it remains unlikely that the DCU"s version of Batman will appear in Superman. He also uses an android superhero to this end, with his ultimate villainy shining through as he detonates her in his dogged attempt to fell Superman.
With his track record of portraying comic book characters in a nuanced light, it would stand to reason that James Gunn"s version of Lex Luthor would be characterized similarly to his comic book counterpart in this story.
Superman set photos do seem to depict Superheroes apprehending Superman, showing that the movie might actually resemble the Lex Luthor: Man of Steel narrative. With his track record of portraying comic book characters in a nuanced light, it would stand to reason that James Gunn"s version of Lex Luthor would be characterized similarly to his comic book counterpart in this story. Taken alongside what seems to be a strained relationship between Superman and other established superpowered individuals, this is a good sign for what"s to come in Superman when it releases on July 11, 2025.