Could Lex Luthor have been our Superman? Nicholas Hoult breaks his silence on reports that he originally auditioned to play the DC Universe’s leading man.
With how fast production on Superman has moved, it’s easy to completely forget reports that were once making major headlines. One of those reports was that Nicholas Hoult was one of the major contenders to play the Man of Steel alongside David Corenswet. While the actor would eventually land the role of Lex Luthor in the DC Universe, the news cycle moved on so fast there was never confirmation on if the earlier reports held any water.
This rumor was actually confirmed late last year, though was seemingly swept up in the excitement of the holiday season. Speaking to Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Nicholas Hoult revealed that he was initially up for the role of Superman. However, the more he read the script, the more he realized that it would be more fun to play the DC Universe’s first big bad in Lex Luthor.
“It’s funny, because when I first read the script, I remember reading it and there was a little inkling part of me that was like ‘Oh, I think you would have fun playing Lex, And I kind of didn’t say anything, and then when James [Gunn] called me to play Lex, I did kind of cackle – I think is how I’d describe it. I didn’t say anything.”
“I think he said, ‘We want you to play Lex,’ and I just laughed, because I think there was something in my instinct, when I first read the script, where I was like, ‘I think that’s more what I should be doing in this story.'”
Nicholas Hoult’s Take On Lex Luthor
It seems the actor hasn’t lost his luster for the part even as production wraps on Superman. Nicholas Hoult recently praised James Gunn’s work in creating a new DC Universe in a profile by Vanity Fair. During the chat, he teased that Lex Luthor isn’t going to be a simple lunatic billionaire in the reboot, but rather a fully-fledged character with multiple layers to work through.
“Every element of that world that [Gunn’s] creating feels special. It’s the same with how he’s portraying Lex in the script. He’s a multifaceted, dimensional character.”
Given adaptations of Lex Luthor have ranged from truly historic, like with Michael Rosenbaum, to borderline unrecognizable, such as Jesse Eisenberg, it’s a relief that the DC Universe is taking care to make him something layered. It’s still unclear how much screen time Nicholas Hoult will have in Superman, but it’s all but certain he’ll steal the show wherever he goes.
Superman is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
