Jesse Eisenberg says he would be shocked, but pleasantly, to return as Lex Luthor

Actor Jesse Eisenberg is the most recent live-action Lex Luthor to grace movie screens, but his performance did not exactly catch fire with fans. While he does not expect to reprise the role, Eisenberg says it would be a nice surprise if he were asked to return to the DCEU.

The 38-year-old reveals the sentiment in a recent report from the Sarajevo Film Festival published by Deadline Hollywood. Eisenberg was there to promote his directorial debut for When You Finish Saving the World. In the interview he said he was dismayed by how people reacted to his version of Luthor from 2016’s Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice and a post-credits scene in 2017’s Justice League. Although the actor admitted he is not a fan of comic books, he still respects the great character as crafted by a great writer, and he is not ashamed of it. Eisenberg also says he does have the door open to superhero movies as great roles can be found inside any project.

“I’d be shocked if I wound up in a D.C. movie, but it would be a pleasant shock. Because as an actor, you do all kinds of different things, and sometimes great roles show up in really commercial things and sometimes terrible roles show up in independent films.”

Later in the conversation, Eisenberg also said he is preparing to shoot his next film in Poland alongside co-star Kieran Culkin. Eisenberg added that he does not get recognition for playing Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network to the degree people expect. He also confirmed a third film in the Now You See Me franchise is coming and is likely to make its way to cinemas sooner than later.

“They’ve been trying. It’s such a beloved franchise. I only know this because I’m in it, but you feel it. I don’t know why that is, because my finger’s not really on the pulse of culture, but I feel, as a person involved with it, that it’s something that people really love, and I know that the people who produced the movie feel that, too.”

When You Finish Saving the World does not yet have a wide release date as of this story’s filing.