Superman: Legacy's James Gunn Confirms Key Lex Luthor Detail

After reports and rumors began to surface earlier this fall, we now know that Nicholas Hoult will be playing Lex Luthor in Superman: Legacy. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, who is writing and directing the upcoming film, confirmed Hoult's casting on social media, teasing that the actor will be putting a new stamp on the iconic role. Seeing as Lex is character who has existed in comic books for the better part of the past century, there are some tenets of his personality that fans are hoping to see realized onscreen — and it sounds like one key element definitely will be.

In a reply to a fan on the social media platform Threads, Gunn confirmed that Hoult's version of Lex Luthor will be bald. More often than not, Lex has been portrayed without hair outside of Jesse Eisenberg's portrayal in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, which showed him with a full head of hair until it was shaved off in prison at the end of the film.

What Is Superman: Legacy About?

Per DC Studios, Superman: Legacy tells the story of Superman's journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and a better tomorrow, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned. Superman: Legacy will be written and directed by Gunn, and will serve as the first film installment of his and Peter Safran's DC Universe reboot.

"It's not an origin story," Safran told reporters earlier this year. "It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing. Superman represents truth, justice, and the American way. He has kindness in a world that thinks of kindness as old fashioned."

Who Will Star in Superman: Legacy?

Superman: Legacy will also star David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman, alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica / The Engineer, Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt / Mr. Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason / Metamorpho.

What Is on the DC Universe Slate?

As Gunn and Safran revealed earlier this year, the initial DC Studios slate for "Gods and Monsters" will include movies for Superman: Legacy, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Swamp Thing, and The Authority. It will include the HBO Max television shows Waller, Booster Gold, Lanterns, Paradise Lost, and an animated Creature Commandos series.

"A lot of people think it's going to be Marvel 2.0, and definitely I learned a lot of stuff at Marvel. I think that we have a lot of differences," Gunn explained at the time. "We are telling a big, huge, central story that is like Marvel, except for, I think that we're a lot more planned out than Marvel from the beginning because we've gotten a group of writers together to work that story out completely. But we're also creating a universe that is like Star Wars, where there's different times, different places, different things, or Game of Thrones, where characters are a little bit more morally complex." 

How do you feel about Nicholas Hoult playing Lex Luthor in Superman: Legacy? Are you happy he'll be bald in the movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Superman: Legacy is set to be released exclusively in theaters on July 11, 2025.