Despite Losing Batman and Superman, Nicholas Hoult Knew Lex Luthor Was for Him

The world works in mysterious ways, even the world of comic book casting. Nicholas Hoult has been trying to become a superhero for years. He was one of the actors being considered for the lead role in Matt Reeves’ The Batman and was also considered to play Superman for James Gunn. Of course, neither of those things worked out, but something else worked out that was even better. Hoult ended up as Lex Luthor, and, it turns out, it was a role that was speaking to him all along.

Speaking to Hoult on the set of Superman last summer, the actor explained how even during the process of going after Batman and Superman, it was Lex Luthor that subtly called to him. “It’s no secret that I read for Matt Reeves’ movie and for this film with James and I feel very fortunate the way things [played] out, to be honest with you,” Hoult said.

“I thought Batman was brilliant and Robert [Pattinson] was perfectly cast for that. And how this came together as well, I’ve been a fan of James’ work for a long time before this. And reading the script, it was funny because I knew I was going in technically to read for Superman, but I had a funny little itch or inkling a couple of times reading the script where I looked at a scene and I was like, ‘Ah, I think you’d be good at Lex.’”

“Then I obviously buried that thought,” Hoult continued. “Even the first time I talked to James specifically about this, he mentioned Lex and I was like, ‘Should I say something about that feeling that I had?’ And I was like, ‘No, no, no, don’t say that, because that will then cloud maybe the judgment of where everything else goes forward when you go and do the reading for Superman.’ So it was something that really called me to be like, ‘Hey, I think Lex is where I wanted to be.’”

For Hoult, the experience taught him an important lesson: trust yourself. “I think I laughed kind of in a villainous, maniacal way, to be honest with you,” he said. “Because I was like, ‘Your instincts were kind of right, and you should have listened to them.’ Which is something that I guess I’ve got to work on in life. Sometimes you hear that little voice and you go, ‘No, it’s a gut feeling.’ And then ultimately, I guess it was very fortuitous, and it feels like everything aligned in the right way.”

And it all aligns on screen very soon. See Hoult as Lex in Superman, in theaters July 11.

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