Nicholas Hoult has already been part of some of the greatest blockbuster hits in his career. As he prepares to take on another iconic role in James Gunn’s DCU, that could redefine everything, he also does not forget about the missed opportunities he experienced along the way in the industry.
It turns out that before stepping into the shoes of Lex Luthor, the actor auditioned for another role in the Batman universe, and that would be Batman himself. However, he eventually lost the role to Robert Pattinson.
Why Nicholas Hoult Believes He Lost the Role to Robert Pattinson
Although Nicholas Hoult now has the opportunity to portray Superman’s arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor, in the James Gunn universe, it’s interesting to note that years ago he also tried out for a part in Matt Reeves‘ standalone Batman universe.
However, as we all now know, he eventually lost the role to Robert Pattinson. Fans can’t help but wonder what would have transpired if he had landed the role. Speaking to GQ España, the actor explained exactly what happened. He said,
“I’m sure if you ask most people, they’ll tell you they’d want to portray that role. I think Matt Reeves’ ideas were fantastic and he made a brilliant movie. And I also think that Rob [Pattinson] did an amazing job with the character, and I loved seeing him in it. So I don’t think I would have done as good a job as him ultimately. I don’t think I could have fit as well into the world that Matt created as Rob did.”
He openly admitted that while he did have a genuine desire to take on the leading role in the Reeves universe, given his childhood obsession with the character, and idolizing Christian Bale. He also recognized that Pattinson’s casting ultimately made more sense for the vision of the project.
Although he initially felt a tinge of disappointment, he now reflects on the situation with acceptance and even gratitude. He thoroughly enjoyed watching the actor bring his own flair to the role, and as a Batman fan, he wholeheartedly approves. Thus in hindsight, he has come to realize that the casting decision was indeed the best, benefiting not only himself but also the entire project.
Nicholas Hoult on Dealing with Rejection for the Batman Role
Being part of the industry means one has to deal with all the tough parts that come along with pursuing a career in acting as well, including facing rejections with resilience.
Despite Hoult’s impressive performances, being turned down for the role of Batman in the Reeves universe, a role he had set his heart on, proved to be particularly challenging to handle. In the same GQ interview, he revealed,
“When they tell you for the first time that it’s not you, it’s painful, but then you have to accept it as normality,–I think that’s probably a strength of mine as an actor as well. I can accept that they didn’t cast me pretty well and when I see the chosen actor doing a great job, and I enjoy it, and it’s good, I’m like, ‘oh yeah, they made the right choice. They knew what they were doing.’ So it’s not like I’m sitting there like, ‘Oh, I’m not going to watch it now.’ It’s a good movie and Rob is brilliant in it.”
Although it was tough at first, when he saw Robert Pattinson doing his job, he realized why he wasn’t chosen, and dealing with it became a lot easier.
Fast forward to now, the actor is in the James Gunn universe, bringing to life one of the most iconic villains DC has ever seen. Fans are excited to see how Hoult makes Luthor his own. His appearance is set to be in Superman previously titled, Superman: Legacy, which will kickstart Gunn’s DCU.
Superman is set to release on July 11, 2025
