Nicholas Hoult is ready to go full villain. The actor, who previously donned the blue fur as Beast in the X-Men franchise, is stepping into one of comic book cinema’s most iconic antagonist roles as Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s upcoming “Superman” film, starring opposite David Corenswet’s Man of Steel.
Speaking to Empire magazine, Hoult revealed he’s drawing inspiration from actors like Gene Hackman and Michael Rosenbaum, who’ve brought Superman’s greatest nemesis to life before him. “Gene’s one of my all-time faves, just as an actor in general. I went back and watched Gene,” Hoult said, referring to Gene Hackman’s memorable turn in the Richard Donner Superman films. He’s also studying Michael Rosenbaum’s portrayal from the beloved TV series “Smallville”, which was “the first Lex I saw, growing up.”
The 34-year-old actor seems energized by the challenge of inhabiting a character with such rich cinematic history. “It’s interesting when you play a character that’s been played before — you’re working from a different script, but it’s fun to draw inspiration from all of those places,” he explained.
This role marks a significant shift for Hoult, who appears to be deliberately pivoting toward darker, more complex characters. “I’m gonna keep getting darker and stranger until people are like, ‘No!! Too far!'” he laughed when discussing his career trajectory. Gone are the days when he preferred heroic roles like Beast – now he’s drawn to what he calls “twisted outsider roles.”
The timing feels right for Hoult’s villainous turn. “It seems like a lot of the performances that I grew up loving, or specifically when actors would go on runs of things, [it] seemed to be in their thirties and forties. So I’ve always been excited about this period of my career,” he shared.
“Superman” will be in theaters and IMAX nationwide on July 11, 2025, and internationally beginning 9 July 2025, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
