Nicholas Hoult Reveals the Overlooked Comic Inspiration for His Lex Luthor in Superman

Nicholas Hoult Reveals the Overlooked Comic Inspiration for His Lex Luthor in Superman

As a long-time comic book enthusiast who’s spent countless hours poring over the pages of DC legends, I can confidently say that Nicholas Hoult‘s portrayal of Lex Luthor has me more than intrigued. The man’s clearly done his homework, delving deep into the rich history of the character, from the iconic interpretations in comics and films to lesser-known gems like “Lex Luthor: Man of Steel.


As the Creature Commandos approach, the era led by James Gunn and Peter Safran at DC Studios is about to start, and with it comes the initial movie of this new period – the Superman film directed by Gunn himself. Alongside David Corenswet’s portrayal of Superman, Nicholas Hoult will give us a fresh take on Lex Luthor in the upcoming film. In a recent chat with Joh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Hoult shared some insights into his interpretation of Lex Luthor and mentioned that he often drew inspiration from the comic “Lex Luthor: Man of Steel,” which he considers underrated.

Michael Hoult, who has portrayed Lex Luthor in various formats, has a wealth of interpretations to draw upon. He discussed how he incorporates aspects from several well-known and iconic versions of the character. According to him, “The process involves taking elements from all previous portrayals of the character and the comics, then adding to it. That’s what makes it exciting in movies, comics, and even in a broader sense, all media, because you’re building upon a rich history. It’s like a continuous amalgamation of everything that has come before.

Later on, Hoult mentioned some unusual associations he made: “I realized I was collaborating with Clint, the director of Unforgiven, for which Gene Hackman won his Oscar. Plus, watching Michael Rosenbaum play the same character and all these other talented individuals who portrayed that role,” said Hoult.

Nicholas Hoult Reveals the Overlooked Comic Inspiration for His Lex Luthor in Superman

Regarding the comics, Houlte explored various ones to draw inspiration from, but one particular series stood out to him and kept drawing him back. “There are so many, and James has already discussed quite a few that have an obvious impact on the overall film,” Houlte explained. “I also took small elements from each, including Birthright and others. However, it was Luthor: Man of Steel that truly resonated with me. I read it frequently.

[RELATED: DC Boss James Gunn Reveals What a Batman & Superman Team-Up Movie Would Be Called]

2005 saw me immersed in the riveting five-issue series titled “Man of Steel,” masterfully penned by Brian Azzarello, artistically brought to life by Lee Bermejo, beautifully colored by Dave Stewart, and expertly lettered by Rob Leigh. This gritty saga has since been compiled into a trade edition under the moniker “Luthor.” The narrative revolves around my relentless pursuit to eradicate Superman from Metropolis and the world, a mission that leads me to Gotham City and the enigmatic presence of a certain Dark Knight.

Although Houlte didn’t specify which aspects of the book most influenced him, it’s another encouraging sign from an eagerly awaited project that is already referencing some well-known Superman tales. In preparation for portraying Luthor convincingly on screen, Houlte has immersed himself in numerous Luthor stories.

Later, he found the entire experience thrilling since revisiting old movies, reading comics, and books helped him grasp Lex’s physical and emotional aspects more deeply. His aim was to deliver a genuine performance filled with emotion and backed by solid foundations, ensuring viewers would find it engaging.

Are you looking forward to Hoult’s portrayal of Lex Luthor? Feel free to discuss everything related to DC with me on Threads, Twitter (@mattaguilarcb), or Bluesky (@knightofoa)!

Read More

2024-11-09 18:40