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Credit: Warner Bros.<\/p>\n
When Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice hit theaters<\/a> back in 2016,<\/a> plenty of fans had strong opinions about the movie. One of the loudest debates centered on Jesse Eisenberg stepping into the role of Lex Luthor, especially since audiences were used to a very different version of the villain. Now, nearly a decade later, director Zack Snyder is opening up about fans’ reaction<\/a> to that film and how that casting decision came together as well as why he chose Eisenberg over the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Driver.<\/p>\n During a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast<\/a> hosted by Josh Horowitz, Snyder recalled how a few major names were part of early discussions before Eisenberg ultimately landed the part. As mentioned in past interviews, DiCaprio and Driver were among the performers he could imagine shaping the role of Luthor. As he tells it:<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t that long [a list of actors]. I think Adam Driver, I think DiCaprio, I think those guys were probably, you know, those conversations were \u2014 I could see them forming [the role]. But I think, you know, Jesse was like, to me, he was the most modern. He was the most \u2014 I just believed in his smarts. And it wasn\u2019t just like normal smarts. It was like another kind of intelligence that it would take \u2014 just being a smart guy is not going to get \u2014 you\u2019re not gonna beat Superman with just like, \u2018Oh, I outsmart him!\u2019<\/p>\n Snyder has talked before about wanting a different kind of Luthor for his now-defunct DC Extended Universe. Instead of the classic older corporate mastermind popularized by actors like Gene Hackman, the filmmaker envisioned a younger, tech-era billionaire whose intellect came with a dangerous edge. That\u2019s where Eisenberg clicked for him. The 300 director continued:<\/p>\n His kind of smarts felt like he could render diabolical smarts, that there wasn\u2019t \u2014 he would be willing to sacrifice quite a bit to win, you know what I mean? I felt like, just in my conversations with [Jesse], I always felt like, \u2018OK, I buy it. I buy his abilities,\u2019 you know? He\u2019s not just saying these words. I feel him inventing these ideas as he speaks them, and that to me was really the selling point for me on Jesse. I just felt like he was transcendent.<\/p>\n The choice was bold and, as Snyder has acknowledged in other interviews, it wasn\u2019t universally embraced at the time. Many had been fan-casting everyone from Bryan Cranston<\/a> to Daniel Day-Lewis as the iconic DC villain<\/a>. As a result, Eisenberg\u2019s jittery, tech-bro interpretation caught many people off guard.<\/p>\n HBO Max: Plans start from $10.99 a month<\/a> Even the studio reportedly needed some convincing before fully getting on board with the casting. Of course, another factor may have shaped how audiences reacted. Snyder noted that Eisenberg\u2019s Luthor doesn\u2019t appear with the character\u2019s traditional bald look until the final moments of the film. Finally, he added:<\/p>\n Of course, we don\u2019t get to see him in his full shaved head look until the last moment. If he\u2019d come out of the gate like that, it might\u2019ve been a different take. People might\u2019ve had a different take.<\/p>\n I believe BvS does a lot of things well<\/a> but, love or hate Eisenberg\u2019s version of Lex Luthor, one thing is sure: it was definitely not the safe option. Of course, that was largely the point. Snyder has often said the goal with Batman v Superman was to swing big with a mythic, operatic tone. That approach extended all the way down to his reimagining of one of Superman\u2019s most famous enemies.<\/p>\n The new DC universe is currently moving forward<\/a> with James Gunn in charge, but if you want to catch Eisenberg in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, along with all the Snyderverse films, stream them with an HBO Max subscription<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. 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HBO Max features a wide range of DC content, and that includes the films that make up the DCEU continuity. Sign up for the streamer’s basic With Ads plan, which starts at $10.99 or go ad-free. There’s even an annual option customers can take advantage of.View Deal<\/a><\/p>\n