Nicholas Hoult is set to play Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s Superman. Hoult is among the ensemble cast of the film who are rebooting the DC universe and ushering in a new era of the brand. He is set to follow in the footsteps of Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacey, and Jesse Eisenberg who have played the role in Superman: The Movie, Superman Returns, and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
On TV, Michael Rosenbaum played Lex Luthor in the hit series Smallville. He essayed the role for over 7 seasons and fans have considered his performance as one of the greatest in DC history. Recently Rosenbaum reflected on his early prep for the character and fans have praised him as the best on-screen Lex Luthor.
Fans Hail Michael Rosenbaum As The Best Lex Luthor Ever
Michael Rosenbaum was cast as Lex Luthor in Smallville opposite Tom Welling’s Superman. The initial seasons of the series followed Clark Kent’s high school life and his friendship with Lex Luthor. This set up the eventual rivalry between the two in future seasons and Rosenbaum’s incredible performance throughout his tenure in the series has been widely praised.
The actor recently posed on X, reflecting on his initial days of prep where he went bald for the role. Fans commented on his post as they also recollected their experience watching the show and Rosenbaum’s contribution. Many hailed him as the best on-screen Lex Luthor. Here are some of the reactions,
Thank you for the best Lex Luthor we’ve ever seen.
— Rob “Stats” Guerrera (@StatsOnFire) March 2, 2024
You were by far the best LEX. You nailed it. pic.twitter.com/M0CCFu3wE5
— M (@ConcreteNavajo) March 2, 2024
Best Lex ever! Well done. It would be great to get a movie or mini series bringing the cast back together.
— Thomas Jay 🇺🇸 (@Jaypeg47) March 2, 2024
Still the best Lex Luthor we've seen in live action, and it's not even close.
— Olin aka MMAnomaly👊 (@MMAnomaly) March 2, 2024
Best Lex of all time too.
— James jr (@jclarojr) March 3, 2024
With the unprecedented love for Rosenbaum in the role, it will be hard for Nicholas Hoult to live up to the legacy that he has created. None of the live-action Lex Luthor has matched his intimidating and complex portrayal of the character. It will be a Herculean task for Hoult to create another compelling take on the character.
Hoult has already gone bald for the role in 2025’s Superman and he is an exceptional talent. He will absolutely commit to the role and try to bring a whole other side of Lex Luthor that fans haven’t seen. With James Gunn at the helm, it remains to be seen how he presents Lex Luthor for his new DCU.
James Gunn Explains Why He Didn’t Cast Michael Rosenbaum in Superman
James Gunn has claimed that Michael Rosenbaum’s portrayal of Lex Luthor is his favorite on-screen portrayal of the character. Yet, Gunn didn’t cast him for the role in his upcoming Superman film and instead went for Nicholas Hoult. When a fan asked him about it on Threads, Gunn revealed his reasoning behind it.
Gunn stated that Rosenbaum is one of his closest friends and he loves his portrayal of Lex Luthor. However, he claims that he wanted a younger actor to play the part as the film will have a slightly younger Superman. He wrote,
“I love Michael – he was my favorite Lex and he’s one of my very close friends. But I wanted a Lex who was contemporaries with Superman.”
Gunn has expressed how he and Nicholas Hoult want to present a new and exciting take on the character with his film. Hoult’s Lex Luthor is sure to have some interesting friction with David Corenswet’s Superman. Fans will get to know whether Gunn’s vision pays off once Superman hits theatres on July 11, 2025.
