James Gunn is known for repeatedly working with the same handful of actors; so it’s no surprise that the latest rumors suggest he could be bringing a Guardians of the Galaxy alumni over to the DCU with him.
According to film critic Jeff Sneider; James Gunn has spoken with Bradley Cooper regarding the role of Lex Luthor. The rumor was shared on Reddit, where fans discussed whether Cooper was a good match for the role. One redditor pointed out that he was supposed to have starred in a DC movie a long time ago.
“Fun fact: This guy was supposed to play Hal Jordan in the 2011 Green Lantern movie but lost it to Ryan Reynolds. The guy deserves a shot for the role.”
It sucks that Cooper missed out on the chance to be in a DC film, but then again, judging by how bad Green Lantern was, he definitely dodged a bullet there. Even so, it would be great to see him get the chance to finally be a part of the DCU, and fans on the subreddit agreed, he definitely has the acting chops to play a villain such as Lex Luthor.
“ik this might get downvoted but i don’t understand why some people hate this choice, Bradley cooper is a talented amazing actor and I’m pretty sure his portrayal of lex would be amazing. idk how reliable Jeff sneider is tho.”
Others weren’t so sure that The Hangover star would be such a great fit for the role.
“Nah. That’s a pass from me.”
“No thanks. I’d rather have Matthew McConaughey.”
Maybe it’s time to take the character in a completely new direction for his next on-screen portrayal. Some fans want a more comic-accurate depiction.
“Can we all just admit Lex was supposed to be BUILT and stop with this charismatic blah blah balh? Let’s get someone jacked and NOT quirky charismatic. One of the dudes from the WB Mortal Kombat or something. Cooper is OLD PER Gunns standards. If Cooper OK as Lex why not Rock as Black Adam? Makes no sense.”
There were questions regarding the validity of the source; it’s important to note that this is all pretty much hearsay at the moment. Many would love to see Cooper actually cast as Superman’s arch-nemesis, but there’s no guarantee. It also depends on his availability, as he is set to star in Steven Spielberg’s Bullitt. Whatever the case, Gunn has proven that he can write and direct good villains, so rest assured knowing the villain is in good hands.
