The Man of Steel has found his arch-nemesis. Nicholas Hoult will play Lex Luthor in the upcoming James Gunn film “Superman: Legacy,” according to a report from Deadline.
IndieWire has reached out to representatives of Warner Bros. for comment.
According to Deadline, the casting process for Luthor began after the SAG-AFTRA strike ended on November 9, with casting on pause since the strike began in July. However, Hoult was in the mix for “Superman: Legacy” beforehand; the actor previously auditioned for the lead role of Clark Kent during early screen tests for the film. Hoult was one of three actors to make the final round of tests along with Tom Brittney and David Corenswet, who was ultimately cast as the lead this past June, along with “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” lead Rachel Brosnahan as Superman’s love interest Lois Lane.
One of the most famous comic book villains of all time, Lex Luthor is usually depicted as the powerful CEO of his private company LexCorp. Envious of Superman’s power and popularity, he uses his brilliant scientific mind to scheme of ways to defeat the beloved superhero. The character, created in 1940 by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, has been portrayed by a wide variety of actors on film, including Lyle Talbot, Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, and Jesse Eisenberg.
Gunn, who became president of DC Films after wrapping up his “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy for Marvel Studios, writes and directs “Superman: Legacy.” The film, which will establish a new DC Universe of films, focuses on the early years of the famous superhero’s crimefighting career. Aside from Corenswet, Brosnahan, and Hoult, additional cast members include Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, and Anthony Carrigan.
A former child star, Hoult first broke through at 13 when he starred opposite Hugh Grant in the family comedy “About a Boy.” As a teenager, he led the first two seasons of controversial British teen drama “Skins” in 2007 and 2008. He received a BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2009 for his supporting performance in “A Single Man,” and played Marvel Comics character Beast in the 2011 film “X-Men: First Class.” From 2020 to 2023, he played Russian emperor Peter III in Hulu comedy series “The Great,” for which he earned a Primetime Emmy nomination. Other credits include “Warm Bodies,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Favourite,” “The Menu,” and “Renfield.” He will next star in the films “Nosferatu” and “Juror No. 2.”
“Superman: Legacy” will release in theaters July 11, 2025.
