The modern iteration of the movie version of Lex Luthor as played by Jesse Eisenberg received a mixed reception, to say the least. The character was criticized for a variety of reasons, from not looking like the classic version of Luthor to Eisenberg’s twitchy, nervy performance that more closely resembled the Joker or Riddler than Superman’s calm, calculating arch-enemy. And now, according to sources close to WGTC – the same ones who told us The CW was developing an Arrow spinoff back in March, and that Robert Pattinson had snagged the role of Batman, both of which turned out to be true – Eisenberg is done playing the role and Warner Bros. will recast for future movies.
From what we understand, the studio still wants the character in the DCEU, but it just won’t be the Zombieland star playing him. And that makes perfect sense, as Eisenberg was always seen as an odd choice for the role of a masterful crime lord. In fact, fans have long been lobbying for someone with more gravitas to take on the part, with everyone from Denzel Washington to Bryan Cranston being suggested.
Once the studio decides on a new actor for the role, Lex will apparently go on to form the Legion of Doom. Imagine an anti-Justice League, with the main villains for each hero comprising the members of the legion, and Lex being their leader as they combine forces to take on the League.
The Legion of Doom under Lex will apparently be introduced in the much-discussed Justice League reboot. Although the original film was clearly a set up to introduce Darkseid, DC may be concerned that Thanos’ current popularity would inevitably result in comparisons drawn between the two characters, to Darkseid’s disadvantage. Thus, the decision to go in a new direction, and bring in not just one, but multiple major villains for the reboot makes sense.
Circling back to Lex Luthor in particular though, tell us, who would you like to see snag the role and bring the character to life next? Be sure to let us know by dropping a comment down below.
