James Gunn’s ‘Superman’ Movie Has Reportedly Found Its Own Lex Luthor (In An Actor Once Rumored To Maybe Play Supes)

In the late ‘70s, Superman: The Movie helped kick off modern comic book cinema, but Hollywood has had a bear of a time with the Man of Steel ever since. Time seems to have forgotten about Brandon Routh. Henry Cavill’s weirdly ragey (and murderous!) iteration came to an untimely end. But maybe this new one from James Gunn, promising a lighter take, will get Krypton’s favorite son back on track. It already has a promising cast, including, now, its own sexy Lex Luthor.

Per Deadline, sources say that Nicholas Hoult has nabbed — or is at least in talks to play —the role of Superman’s most popular nemesis. The About a Boy actor’s name has been swirling around the role for months. Rumors first surfaced back in May, before David Corenswet and Rachel Brosnahan scored the roles of Clark Kent and Lois Lane. At one point, though, word was that Hoult was up for the Man of Steel himself.

If the report is true, then Hoult has scored a role previously played on the big screen by Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, and Jesse Eisenberg. It would also be a nice fit: Though he first came to attention thanks to nice guy roles, he’s pushed himself, playing smirking sh*ts in The Favourite and on The Great. And of course, he was memorably bald as apostate War Boy Nux in Mad Max: Fury Road, making him a no-brainer for comics’ most famous evil baldie.

(Via Deadline)