Don’t feel too bad for Hoult, who had his hero moment when he played Beast in the recent “X-Men” films. But frankly, I think he’s a better fit for Luthor than the Man of Steel. He’s a versatile actor, but to me, his true strength lies in heightened, almost absurd comedy (see: “The Favorite,” “The Great,” “The Menu”), and Lex Luthor is nothing if not just a little absurd. (Remember Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor from the DCEU? Remember how that movie contained a literal jar of piss? Very normal stuff there.) Here’s hoping James Gunn lets his actor put his own unhinged spin on Luthor, because I’m always in the market for another unhinged Hoult performance. A free piece of advice for Mr. Gunn, though: Maybe don’t include a jar of piss.
For more on Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, listen to today’s episode of the /Film Daily podcast:
We also touch on a new Jason Bourne movie in the works, the announcement of “Frozen 4,” and more.
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