Look out, Big Blue – according to a new report, DC Studios head James Gunn has officially made his choice as to which actor will be the next to portray Lex Luthor on the silver screen.
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Per several sources who allegedly spoke to Deadline’s Justin Kroll and Anthony D’Alessandro, Gunn’s choice for the iconic villain is none other than Nicholas Holt, who audiences may best know as the actor responsible for playing the blue-furred in Fox Studios’ last X-Men film tetralogy.
If – of perhaps when – his casting be confirmed, the British actor will subsequently make his DCU debut opposite David Corenswet’s Superman and Rachel Brosnahan’s Lois Lane in the Gunn-directed Superman: Legacy.
As of writing, plot details regarding Superman’s next cinematic outing are scarce, as Gunn is doing his best to keeps his already-confusing plans for DC’s future close to his chest.
But despite the director’s best intentions, noted scooper Daniel ‘DanielRPK’ Richtman claims to have already gleamed insight regarding Luthor’s role in the film.
According to him, Gunn’s take on Superman’s arch foe will take direct inspiration from the early 00’s era of DC Comics, as Legacy will see Luthor making a bid at the American presidency.
Should this rumor shake out to be true, it would not be out the question to see Luthor’s political power play being used as a narrative vehicle with which to bring him into conflict with not just Superman and Lois, but also their confirmed superhero co-stars Hawkgirl, Mister Terrific, Guy Gardner, Metamorpho, and The Engineer as respectively portrayed by Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, Anthony Carrigan, and María Gabriela de Faría.
However, it should be noted that neither the scooper nor any official sources have provided any confirmation as to whether or not Luthor will appear in the film as its main threat or as a set-up for future DCU outings.
To that end, a separate rumor from YouTuber Syl Abdul claims that Superman: Legacy‘s plot will see The Man of Steel and the aforementioned trio of DC heroes each rushing to put an end to a burgeoning Middle Eastern conflict according to their own personal philosophies (like everything else regarding the film, whether or not this conflict will somehow involve Black Adam’s homeland of Khandaq remains to be seen).
American superheroes being caught up in a complicated international conflict and undoubtedly clashing over their own ideals? It may have yet to be confirmed, but it sounds like the exact sort of premise a scheming madman could use to manipulate public sentiment to his own purposes – say, running for the White House.
It could even allow opportunities for said man to tilt things in his favor by hiring a metahuman of his own – possibly one whose desire to redeem himself could allow him to be easily tricked into fighting for any side, such as the aforementioned Metamorpho.
And when it comes to one of the world’s most preeminent technological innovators, one can almost certainly bet that the appearance of a woman whose entire body was composed entirely of nanites – like The Engineer’s – during this conflict would pique his interest.
Alas, at the end of the day, what role Luthor will play in Gunn’s take on Superman – as well as how well Holt will bring the villain to life – remain to be seen.
Barring any delays or scheduling shake-ups from either WBD or Gunn, Superman: Legacy is currently set to take to the skies on July 11th, 2025.
