Nicholas Hoult Eyed to Play Lex Luthor in ‘Superman’ Reboot

James Gunn‘s Superman: Legacy, the feature that will launch Gunn and Safran’s DC Studios, is reaching a crucial phase of casting, with names emerging for Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Lex Luthor. There seems to be only one contender for the role of Luthor, the classic villain from the comics. Nicholas Hoult, currently seen in the vampire flick Renfield, is being eyed to play Superman’s archnemisis. 

There had been previous speculation around Hollywood and online that he might be up for Superman, reported the outlet. He previously came in second to Robert Pattinson for the Batman role in Matt Reeves’ DC movie. “The studio has loved him since Fury Road,” according to a source, referring to George Miller’s 2015 action movie Mad Max: Fury Road.

As for the other characters, one of the top contenders to play Kent, aka Superman, is David Corenswet, who recently starred in Pearl and several Netflix projects. It is expected that the screen test will take place after Memorial Day or early June, multiple sources told The Hollywood Reporter. For Lane, the strong-willed reporter at Metropolis’ Daily Planet, contenders include Emma Mackey, who has appeared in Netflix’s Sex Education; Rachel Brosnahan, Emmy-winning actress from Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel; Phoebe Dynevor, Bridgerton actress; and Samara Weaving, who appears in Scream VI and several other high-profile genre films.

Some sources warn that some of these are not screen tests but have simply been included among the other candidates. A source dismissed some names as “a chatroom list,” without providing additional details. An insider told the outlet the studio and filmmakers “are nowhere near a decision.” Though many of the towns’ up-and-coming talent is vying for the roles of classic characters, sources told The Hollywood Reporter the movie would introduce DC heroes that have already established their presence in the movie’s setting.

WBD cleared the DC slate in 2022 and early 2023, shelving Batgirl indefinitely, claiming a tax write-down, and releasing Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, both of which had mixed box office results. The delayed Flash movie screened in full for exhibitors at CinemaCon, and Blue Beetle, which was destined for HBO Max but has now been moved to an August theatrical release, are both still to come. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, due in December, marks the end of the previous DC film era.