James Gunn’s Superman Legacy is shaping up to be a bold reimagining of the iconic hero’s story
Nicholas Hoult is stepping into the role of iconic supervillain Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s much-anticipated Superman: Legacy—and he’s just as eager as fans to see how the story unfolds.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, the Nosferatu star, 35, shared his excitement about the film’s all-star cast, including David Corenswet as the new Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. “I’m very excited to be able to see David’s take on Superman as well, ’cause he’s brilliant,” Hoult said. “And Rachel as Lois, as well. There’s a lot of great components of that movie.”
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While Hoult remained tight-lipped about his “villainous turn” as the menacing Luthor, he explained, “I don’t know. Until I see the movie, I don’t know. We did a mix of stuff.” However, he was full of praise for writer-director James Gunn, calling him a “brilliant” and “wonderful” filmmaker.
Gunn himself has been hyping up Hoult’s performance as Lex Luthor, describing the villain as “imposing” and unlike anything seen in previous Superman adaptations. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Gunn explained: “I don’t think we’ve ever seen the Lex that Nick is. Nick is…imposing. You go, ‘Oh, f***, poor Superman.’ That’s the thing we never see.”
Gunn added that, in contrast to past iterations of Luthor who felt outmatched by the Man of Steel, this version will bring a genuine sense of dread. “Sometimes in the comics you go, ‘Oh, Superman is f*****,’ because Lex is so smart and good at what he’s doing. But in the movies, you’re going, ‘Lex is about to get f*****.’ Not this time.”
The filmmaker also teased a return to Superman’s Silver Age roots, leaning into the big science-fiction elements that defined the comics of the era. “We’ve never seen the big science-fiction Silver Age Superman aspects that we have in our movie,” Gunn revealed.
While Superman: Legacy promises high-stakes drama, Gunn reassured fans the film will remain accessible. Speaking to MovieZine, he noted, “Something pretty family-friendly like Superman” will stand alongside more adult-oriented projects like Peacemaker within the DC Universe’s evolving tone.
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With Hoult’s layered portrayal of Lex, Corenswet’s fresh take on Superman, and Gunn’s creative vision, Superman: Legacy is shaping up to be a bold reimagining of the iconic hero’s story.
Fans will have to wait and see just how “imposing” Hoult’s Lex Luthor proves to be when the film hits screens.
The official release date for Superman: Legacy is July 11th 2025.
