Nicholas Hoult Teases a Darker, Stranger Take on Lex Luthor in Superman

by

In the upcoming Superman movie directed by James Gunn, Nicholas Hoult will be donning the villain’s outfit, as he portrays the character Lex Luthor, following in the footsteps of other formidable adversaries.

In an interview with Empire, Hoult discussed his approach to playing Luthor, comparing it to previous interpretations, and hinted at the extreme measures he’d take to embody the renowned character.

Inspired by Hackman and Rosenbaum

Hoult mentions that he took inspiration for his portrayal of Lex Luthor from Gene Hackman, who played Luthor in the original Superman movies, and Michael Rosenbaum, who depicted the character on Smallville over a ten-year span. This was how Hoult first got to know Lex as a child.

In a conversation with Empire, Houlty expressed that Gene is one of his long-standing favorites, not just as an actor but overall. He revisited Gene’s work and also mentioned Michael Rosenbaum, who portrayed Lex in Smallville during my youth.

In his portrayal of Superman, the new script and take on the character will be different, yet Houlton intends to draw upon aspects of previous performances as a source of inspiration, infusing it with his unique style.

He mentioned that playing roles already portrayed can be intriguing because you’re using a different scenario as your guide, yet it’s enjoyable to find motivation in various sources.

“Darker and Stranger”

Additionally, Hoult subtly suggested that the character he portrays as Lex may follow a much more erratic path compared to what has been depicted in recent times.

“I’m gonna keep getting darker and stranger until people are like, ‘No!! Too far!’” he laughed.

In his mid-thirties, he views this stage of his career as an ideal moment to tackle more challenging and demanding positions.

He shared that he doesn’t have a predetermined grand scheme, but he’s noticed that many performances he admired were often performed by actors around their thirties to forties. As a result, he’s looking forward to this phase of his own career.

What to Expect

In this version of James Gunn’s Superman, David Corenswet takes on the role of Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan plays Lois Lane, and Hoult portrays the evil Lex. It is rumored to initiate a fresh start for the DC Universe under Gunn and Peter Safran, featuring a tone that combines hopefulness with a realistic approach.

Superman flies into theaters on July 11, 2025.

Read More

2025-06-03 02:31