Jesse Eisenberg is Lex Luthor’! 5 Things to be Excited about this Announcement WB Bros. has surprised everyone announcing today that Jesse Eisenberg has been chose to play Lex Luthor in the movie currently known as “Batman vs. Superman”. A very different choice compared with the rumored Bryan Cranston, Denzel Washington, Mark Strong, Bradley Cooper and Joaquin Phoenix. Probably, to avoid focusing the conversation on Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons was also confirmed as the new Alfred Pennyworth (yes, he has a last name). Here are the things that excite me the most about what the studio put in the press release. No “Justice League” After its release date was postponed for almost a year, rumors of WB Bros. creating a Justice League film instead of a Man of Steel sequel grew stronger. But instead of referring to this project in vague terms like “the next installment in the DC Cinematic Universe” or “the new chapter in the superhero saga” they chose “Untitled Superman/Batman film.” Getting right the movie that Snyder promised at Comic-Con last year before an Avengers-like blockbuster is key. Not only to establish two brand new versions of vital characters like Batman and Lex Luthor, but also to be the transition between Man of Steel’s “grounded” world and a place full of colorful super heroes and super villains. New cinematic Luthor Gene Hackman and Kevin Spacey portrayed real-estate obsessed conmen with more ego than brains. Now the director confirms that this version is a departure in more than one way: “He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman.” Yes, the Lexcorp stuff in Man of Steel made evident that this Luthor was a powerful corporate man. But that wouldn’t be much if he wasn’t also an evil mastermind. The Dark Knight matters “Why would Superman ever need Batman?” some people ask. The answer was clear in the last film: The Man of Steel is super strong, super fast but he is not super smart. He is as intelligent as the average human being. In the other hand, Bruce Wayne is as much a genius as Tony Stark. That may not be apparent in the Nolan trilogy, where Morgan Freeman’s Lucius Fox was the Q to Wayne’s James Bond. It makes absolute sense that The cape crusader -aka the Detective- teams-up with the Kryptonian to defeat a Moriarty like nemesis. Healthy trend This casting choice proves once again that, for better or worse, the filmmakers want to break away from previous movies and the most popular versions in the comics. That goes beyond changes in the suit, and changing the race or sex of a particular character. For example, the way Superman “deals” with Zod at the end was a bold move that shook the general public. Having someone the same age as Clark Kent and a slightly older Bruce Wayne open the door to a whole new set of possible dynamics. Eisenberg So who is the best thirty-something actor you can get to play a cerebral, emotionally detached, fast-talking villain? Benedict Cumberbatch. Second option? Jesse Eisenberg. The “Social Network” actor is usually compared to Michael Cera, but Eisenberg has showcased a wider range and a higher level of intensity. Him being Luthor bears a similarity with Heath Ledger as the Joker: much less physically imposing than the heroes their face, but extremely intelligent and driven. Eisneberg has an easier job making this villain his, after Hackman and Spacey failed to reach the iconic level that Jack Nicholson gained with his Joker. What do you think?
