The news has come out that Jesse Eisenberg will play Lex Luthor. You know, the guy who played Mark Zuckerberg in the Social Network or Columbus in Zombieland. He has also been in some other really good movies like Cursed. Anyone remember that movie? It was pretty awesome.
My first reaction was “ugh, really?” Then I thought about how everyone reacted that way when Heath Ledger was cast as the Joker. Although, I was never against the Ledger casting. I was more curious to see how the story was going to present the Joker and that is how I should feel in this case too.
I just cannot shake this fear that Snyder and Goyer are going to try to make Luthor younger than he should be. Lex Luthor is a super-genius. Rich beyond belief and the most powerful man in the world. In the business world he is pretty much the nemesis of a guy like Bruce Wayne. Envision a guy like Mitt Romney or some other powerful venture capitalist.
Lex Luthor should not be some up and coming, rich kid who tries to take down Superman. Instead it should almost be the other way around, Lex is the most respected man in the world until Superman shows up. He sees this alien as a threat to his power. I know I have said this before…
Eisenberg is just too neurotic for Lex Luthor. Lex would consider any such trait as a weakness. I just picture this Lex being whiny and a bit annoying. I hope I am wrong.
I suggest watching All-Star Superman. It is a cartoon, but the portrayal of Lex Luthor is fantastic. Or if you want to read comics, I recommend reading Lex Luthor: Man of Steel or Superman: Birthright if you want some great Luthor stories.
