Batman vs. Superman's Jesse Eisenberg: What Kind of Lex Luthor Can We Expect?

The Social Network

 star Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Lex Luthor in the forthcoming Batman vs. Superman film. Warner Bros. Announced yesterday that the actor, whose previous genre work includes the cult-hit Zombieland, will take on the role of the billionaire villain, who was previously described as a "Brad Pitt-meets-Richard Branson-type." (You can see that video, with director Zack Snyder, below.) That certainly suggests that Eisenberg's signature appearance as billionaire tech magnate and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg may have played a role in envisioning the actor for the part. In many of his other screen appearances, he's much more humble and awkward. It also seemingly suggests a version of Lex who's a peer to Clark Kent, as we've seen in the comics and on Smallville. Eisenberg, in fact, often has similar characteristics an actor to Michael Rosenbaum, who played Luthor on Smallville. Just how close to that philosophy they'll play it remains to be seen, but certainly that's about all we've got to go on right now. Snyder spoke again about Lex during a Yahoo! Fan Event with Kevin Smith in support of the Man of Steel Blu-ray release, and gave a tiny bit more insight. "Lex loves calling [Superman] an alien," Snyder said, "I like that." (You can see that video below, too.) That makes sense from a director who described his film as a "first contact story" more than a superhero origin. It also plays into a very specific vision of Lex Luthor that many fans have been hoping that we would get a glimpse of. Specifically, it plays into the same kind of depiction of the character from the comic book miniseries Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, in which he talks about Superman as an otherworldly threat from which he's got to be the one to protect humanity at all costs. We've discussed in the past the fact that we could see his character springing from the pages of John Byrne's The Man of Steel, as well; the powerful and wealthy tycoon who's used to having whatever he wants, whenever he wants it, is a great counterpoint to somebody like Superman who is inherently selfless. The fact that Superman cannot be bought would irk that version of Luthor, and the fact that he's the only one powerful enough not to let Luthor get away with whatever he wants to get away with is insult to injury.

The Richard Branson/Mark Zuckerberg iteration of Lex is one that makes sense, in terms of Eisenberg, but it's also one that Snyder and company will likely want to really parse out; the last thing they want is for Eisenberg to be seen just copying what he did in The Social Network. What might work well for them is to play up the "mad scientist" angle of Lex, allowing people to come to the realization that his is a guy who graduated college at 15 and was a billionaire by the time he was emancipated from his parents. A young Lex means that all that stuff with "LexCorp" slapped all over it happened by the time Luthor was 30. There's huge potential there for Lex to be somebody who hasn't been told "no" in a very long time, which once again speaks to the Byrne version of the villain. Don't be surprised if they at least flirt with the whole "I've got a crush on Lois Lane" thing...although, as they did with the Clark/Lois/Superman love triangle, the filmmakers probably won't spend a whole lot of time on that concept. It always felt a bit contrived. Other stories you can probably expect at least a wink and a nod toward? Well, his tortured relationship with his father form Smallville is an easy one when you've got a young, spoiled Lex. Whether they use his sister, either from the comics or Tess Mercer from Smallville, to give him a little backstory along the way is anybody's guess but we'd say no, unless it's in the context of losing his sister as a childhood trauma.

The "President Lex" storyline, wherein the criminal somehow managed to get elected President of the United States in spite of the fact that everyone who voted for him already knew that he was an absolutely horrible human being, is one with which DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. seem to have a real fascination. It appeared in a couple of the DC Universe animated feature films and of course was referenced briefly in the Smallville finale. It's never sat well with me, frankly, but the fact that it got mainstream media traction back in 2001 and the fact that Warners clearly likes it means don't be surprised if this is a thing that happens. "Analog vs. digital" is a concept I fully expect to appear in the film. With a slightly older Batman, I can see a competition between Superman and Lex going on as Lex presumably gets his hands on Zod's armor and makes himself a Kryptonian-fightin' suit...and I can see Luthor and Bruce Wayne having a not-so-friendly rivalry in business. The notion of Lex facing off against each of the heroes in a slightly different arena, probably while maintaining a public persona that's sympathetic enough that he could run for President someday, is part of what makes the character so appealing. And, yes, as hinted above, I fully expect there to be a nod toward the "armored Lex" look. Whether it happens in this film or (more likely) he develops the armor throughout the film and takes it on at the end of this movie, possibly after an industrial accident that sees him lose all his hair and what remains of his marbles, remains to be seen...