Superman: Legacy’s Pitch-Perfect Lex Luthor Imagined In Comic Book Style Art

Superman: Legacy‘s Lex Luthor actor looks extremely comic book-accurate in new DC Universe fan art. Superman: Legacy‘s cast has been receiving some major additions after the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike, which include the announcement of María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer and Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, as well as the reveal that Nicholas Hoult is Superman: Legacy‘s Lex Luthor. With the major villain cast, fans have started to imagine Hoult’s look as Luthor.

On Twitter, artist @davi_a86 shared a peek at what Hoult could look like as Lex Luthor in Superman: Legacy in a classic comic book style.

With the bald head, the green and purple suit, and the mischievous gleam in his eye, Hoult looks pitch-perfect as Lex. As there is still no direct confirmation by James Gunn of what role Lex will play in the movie, it remains for future Superman: Legacy updates to reveal more details pertaining to Hoult’s character and what he might look like in the DCU film.

Why Nicholas Hoult As Lex Luthor Is Great For Superman: Legacy

Hoult Is Better As Lex Luthor Than Superman

Before getting cast as Lex, Hoult almost played DC’s two biggest heroes: Batman and Superman. Hoult was the runner-up to play Bruce Wayne in director Matt Reeves’ The Batman, with the actor losing out on the role to Robert Pattinson. Then, Hoult was one of the three actors — alongside Tom Brittney and David Corenswet — to screen test for the title role in Superman: Legacy, which went to Corenswet in the end.

While Hoult tried to play one of DC’s most iconic heroes, the actor’s sensibilities always made him better suited for a different type of role, and a complex villain such as Lex Luthor is perfect for him. The best live-action version of Lex is Michael Rosenbaum’s take on the character in Smallville, with the actor delivering a performance that was layered, with both charismatic and deranged moments. With his recent turn as Peter over three seasons of The Great, where Hoult played an arrogant emperor who managed to captivate those around him thanks to his magnetic charm, Hoult is more than ready to bring a complex Lex to the DCU.

The actor can make sure that Lex is a character that the audience loves to hate, with Hoult having the ability to go from charismatic to arrogant at the flip of a coin. Hoult also has experience with superhero movies, having played Beast in the younger continuity of Fox’s X-Men films, a role that shows he has what it takes to play one of the comics’ most intelligent characters like Lex. Hoult’s filmography is filled with roles that show his range from comedy to drama, something Gunn likes to explore to the fullest, which makes him an excellent choice to play Lex Luthor in Superman: Legacy.