It’s official. Lex Luthor has been cast. Jesse Eisenberg has been chosen to play the arch villain in the Batman vs Superman film. This casting will be a surprise to many but Zach Snyder thinks it is the right direction to go with Superman’s famous foe.
“Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman’s rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940,” director Zack Snyder said in a press release. “What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth, and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions.”
We know Jesse can play a super-genius rich guy with a nasty disposition from his role as Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network. Lex Luthor is rather like Mark Zuckerberg only with access to lasers and other weapons of mass destruction.
The casting for Alfred Pennyworth was also announced. Bruce Wayne’s famous butler will be played by none other than Jeremy Irons.
“As everyone knows, Alfred is Bruce Wayne’s most trusted friend, ally and mentor, a noble guardian and father figure,” the director continued. “He is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman. It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious façade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne.”
Whether or not Irons will make a good Alfred remains to be seen but I will say he will probably be the scariest looking Alfred to hit the big or small screen.
Unfortunately the release date of Batman vs Superman has been pushed back from July,2015 to May, 2016, so we will have to wait an extra eleven months to see Irons and Eisenberg in action next to Superman Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck’s Batman and Wonder Woman played by Gal Gadot.
