Let the “Mark Zuckerberg is Lex Luthor” jokes begin in earnest.
More casting news from Warner Brothers for its upcoming Batman/Superman crossover film, this time for supporting characters Lex Luthor and Alfred Pennyworth. Playing the role of evil genius Luthor in the Man of Steel sequel is none other than Jesse Eisenberg, perhaps most famous for his performance as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in the 2010 film The Social Network. And yes, this is the part where you can make the jokes about him already knowing how to play a world-conquering supervillain.
“What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman,” said movie director Zack Snyder in a Warner Bros. Pictures press release. “Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions.”
Playing Batman’s loyal butler and ally will be veteran actor Jeremy Irons, recently seen in the Showtime series The Borgias. “He (Alfred) is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman,” Snyder said. “It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious façade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne.”
The still untitled Batman/Superman film already stirred up plenty of casting debate a few months back when it announced that Ben Affleck would play the role of Batman. More recently, it was confirmed that actress Gal Gadot would portray Wonder Woman in the movie, which was recently delayed until 2016.
What are your thoughts on this casting news? Is it a pair of bold choices, or evidence that DC’s next film will be a dud?
Source: BusinessWire
