Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor in Superman Might Be the Best Version of the DC Villain

A superhero project is only as good as its villain. Think of some of the worst movies and shows in the genre (Catwoman, Green Lantern, Inhumans, etc.) and try to remember something about their bad guys’ motivations. Sure, the name of the villain might be easy to remember, but there isn’t some defining quality that makes them memorable outside of their history in the source material. Good adversaries, on the other hand, know exactly what they want and why they want to do it, such as Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Well, it looks like another character is about to join that category this summer in Superman.

The latest trailer for James Gunn’s superhero film is all about the rivalry between Lex Luthor and the Man of Steel. The two characters have gone at it before on the big screen, but never like this. In fact, Superman‘s marketing reveals that Nicholas Hoult’s Lex might be the best version of the character yet.

Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor Will Do Anything to Stop Superman

Lex Luthor’s motivations are almost always the same: he doesn’t believe Superman should have a say in Earth’s affairs and wants to rid the world of him. Gunn isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel in 2025, as he’s having Lex use his vast resources to challenge Clark Kent’s alter-ego, while trying to prove to the people of Earth that they don’t need a godlike hero watching over them. However, he’s not trying to hide his hatred for the Man of Steel. He reveals that he’s willing to kill Lois Lane because she interviews the hero now and again, and plans to hunt down the parents responsible for raising his arch enemy.

To put this plan into action, Lex doesn’t waste any time. He visits the Fortress of Solitude with his allies, the Engineer and Ultraman, destroying Superman’s robotic allies while the hero is off trying to make the world a better place. There’s even a point in the latest look at the film where Lex demands that his employees let innocent people die because they prefer to look to Superman for hope instead of him. Lex’s hate clearly knows no bounds, which can’t be said about most of the other live-action versions of the character.

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Nicholas Hoult Only Has One Real Competitor for the Top Spot

Hoult’s performance is bringing the ruthless villain from the comic books to life. While it’ll take seeing the entirety of Superman to confirm that Lex has never been better than he is in the DC Universe, the new take on the character has an easy road to success. What the early portrayals of Lex have going against them is that they care more about money than anything else. Gene Hackman’s portrayal and Kevin Spacey’s after that only cross paths with the Man of Steel after their plans for real estate domination go too far. Hackman’s later appearances veer into more ridiculous territory, with him using his own DNA to create Nuclear Man in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. However, it’s hard to take those events seriously because Superman Returns tosses them out the window in favor of more real estate schemes.

The DC Extended Universe had Lex more focused on Superman, but Jesse Eisenberg’s take is all over the place, coming off more like a real-life tech billionaire than a comic book villain. That means there’s only one live-action iteration that has a chance to steal the throne from Hoult: Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex from Smallville. While Rosenbaum has the benefit of having several seasons’ worth of material to work with, his character is the easiest to relate to because he starts out as Clark’s friend before slowly learning his secret. By the end of the show, he’s a hurt friend who has no choice but to become a villain.

Hoult’s Lex probably isn’t going to go to dinner at the Kent home or buy Clark a cup of coffee. Sometimes, though, evil for evil’s sake is the right choice, as it’s the only way to combat a hero who stands for truth and justice.

Superman hits theaters on July 11, 2025.

Do you think Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor will be the best version of the villain? Who else has a claim to the title? Let us know in the comments below!