Jesse Eisenberg played a highly misunderstood villain role as Lex Luthor in Zack Snyder’s Batman v. Superman. While the latest reports confirm Nicholas Hoult as the new Lex Luthor for James Gunn’s DCU, Eisenberg is not disheartened by this news. In fact, he’s eager to reprise his role in the threequel to a film that’s not a critics’ favorite — Now You See Me.
The Social Network actor revealed that he loved the change of pace that comes with such movies, further adding that he was not someone who actively pursued “method acting.” It appears that Eisenberg’s desires will soon come to fruition as the third installment in the franchise is currently under development.
Jesse Eisenberg Looks Forward To Reprising His Role In Now You See Me 3
Jesse Eisenberg has maintained a balance in his portfolio of films throughout the years. Eisenberg excels at playing both the shy, awkward, and insecure character from Zombieland as well as the intense and arrogant founder in The Social Network. The Adventureland actor opened up about his roles to Collider and revealed one role that he’s desperate to get back to.
Eisenberg felt more connected to the role of magician J. Daniel Atlas in the film, Now You See Me. The Rio voice actor revealed that he was not a fan of “method acting” and shared that he easily fitted into this character because he was also a performer like him. However, what attracted Eisenberg more to the magician in the film was his confidence, unlike the actor himself. The Double actor shared that he was someone who avoided watching the films he acted in.
With such concerns and anxieties about his own performance, the confident performer role was the most “method” that Eisenberg felt in a role. For Eisenberg, the role acted as an “antidepressant dosage” and he loved filming it. The Café Society actor revealed that he was desperate to do a third Now You See Me film for this exact same reason. Eisenberg told Collider:
“That’s why I love love them [Now You See Me movies] so much, and I’m so desperate to do a third one. It’s like the only time I could kind of lower my antidepressant dosage because I feel so at ease and comfortable with myself as a performer because the character is. So, in some ways, the way I would describe method acting would almost be in the reverse that the character is making you feel a certain something about yourself.”
A third installment in the film series was announced back in 2015. In September 2022, Ruben Fleischer of Venom and Zombieland fame was confirmed as the director, and Seth Grahame-Smith was roped in as the screenwriter. Besides Eisenberg, Lizzy Caplan also confirmed reprising her role. The first film collected $351.7 million and the second, $334.9 million, becoming box office successes, despite mixed reviews.
Nicholas Hoult Replaces Jesse Eisenberg As DCU’s New Lex Luthor
Recent reports from DCU suggest that James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy is eying Nicholas Hoult to play Lex Luthor in the film. Hoult originally auditioned for the Superman role but was passed on in favor of David Corenswet. Earlier in the DCEU films, the role was played by Jesse Eisenberg, a casting choice that was frowned upon by many.
Upon the release of Batman v. Superman, Eisenberg’s role received mixed reviews, with many hating on his unorthodox take on the character. However, in retrospect, many reviewers found that they were too harsh on Eisenberg. Many hailed the Vivarium actor’s portrayal as fascinating and a more fitting depiction of a heinous villain relevant to today’s volatile political climate.
Fans can enjoy Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal in Now You See Me movies, now streaming on Max.
