| Lex Luthor | |
|---|---|
| DC Extended Universe character | |
 Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) | |
| First appearance | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) |
| Last appearance | Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021) |
| Based on | |
| Adapted by | Chris Terrio David S. Goyer Zack Snyder |
| Portrayed by | Jesse Eisenberg |
| In-universe information | |
| Title | CEO ofLexCorp |
| Occupation | |
| Family | Alexander Luthor Sr (father) |
| Home | Metropolis, United States |
| Nationality | American |
Alexander Joseph "Lex"Luthor, Jr. is a fictional character in theDC Extended Universe based on theDC Comicssupervillain of the same name. He is portrayed byJesse Eisenberg. Luthor first appeared in the 2016 filmBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, pittingBatman andSuperman against each other in an attempt to eradicate the two superheroes. He also appears briefly inJustice League andits director's cut. Eisenberg's portrayal of Lex Luthor has been described as unorthodox compared to most depictions of the character, with his performance inBatman v Superman receiving mixed reviews.
On January 31, 2014, it was reported that actorJesse Eisenberg was cast asLex Luthor, one ofSuperman's greatest foes, in the DCEU filmBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.[1] ScreenwriterDavid S. Goyer talked about the character in theMan of Steel sequel as aBill Gates-like billionaire.[2] DirectorZack Snyder talked about seeing a modern take as a combination ofRichard Branson andBrad Pitt.[3] Eisenberg had also played real life billionaire/entrepreneurMark Zuckerberg in the filmThe Social Network, which Kase Wickman ofMTV noted and used to draw comparisons between Luthor and Zuckerberg, especially with the latter being portrayed as ruthless in said film.[4]
Eisenberg revealed in an interview withChris Van Vliet following the film's release that he had "no idea" which character he was auditioning for at first and expressed doubt when Snyder later revealed it was for Lex Luthor, though he later accepted after reading the script. He stated that the Luthor role "had everything in it that I really like in a character. It was kinda a guy who seems eccentric and possibly nice to the public and yet inside is really harboring these horrible feelings. And I thought, 'I could do this character really well.'"[5][6] As of 2020, Eisenberg remained open to portraying Luthor again in film.[7]
"Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman's rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940. What's great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He's a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions."
The DCEU iteration of Luthor, as portrayed inBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, is noticeably different than in most comic depictions as well asGene Hackman'sportrayal of the character in the 1978–87 Superman film series. Luthor presents himself in public with a welcoming, but frantictech bro persona, in a similar fashion to Zuckerberg. However, he is in reality a scheming, paranoid figure withsociopathic tendencies who is obsessed with bringingSuperman down. He is also characterized as amisotheist, hatingGod and other god-like beings such as Superman as he perceives the gods failed to protect him from abuse received from his father, Lex Luthor Sr. (mentioned by Luthor as the "Lex behindLexCorp"). Eisenberg made an effort to differentiate his take on the character from that of Hackman andKevin Spacey, and also states that his character views Superman as a genuine threat to humanity rather than simply someone to destroy.[9]Screen Rant noted that the Luthor portrayed inBatman v Superman bears similarity to another younger iteration of Luthor in theSuperman: Birthright comic series, which, like theLex Luthor ofSmallville, was portrayed as "manic and awkward," in addition to beingmentally disturbed.[10]
Also unlike most depictions of Lex Luthor, Eisenberg's version is depicted with authentic, shoulder-length hair as opposed to being naturally bald, though he gains his comic-accurate bald look after being clean-shaven in prison at the end ofBatman v Superman and retains it in both versions ofJustice League. Despite this, there have been several instances in the comics in which Luthor has been portrayed with hair, includingSuperman #10 in whichSuperboy accidentally causes Luthor's baldness,[11] and later comics which depict Luthor's illegitimate son,Lex Luthor II, with a full head of hair.[12]
In an analysis ofBatman v Superman, film critic Jordan Johnson writes that Eisenberg's Luthor represents meaninglessness and the ego of mankind, which is jeopardized by the existence of the godlike Superman. He writes that "The casting of Jesse Eisenberg, decidedly recalling his portrayal ofFacebook mogul Mark Zuckerberg, updates Luthor as perhaps the first trulymillennial movie villain: secular, arrogant, entitled, narcissistic, obsessive in his quest to tear down the values of the old guard."[13] Travis Bean ofForbes opined in 2020 that Luthor's characterization in the film was part of a "commentary on our society's seemingly perpetual moral-spiritual-cultural conflict," and that Luthor specifically represented "the younger generation's rampant ego and lack of faith in humanity" when compared toHenry Cavill's Superman andBen Affleck'sBatman.[14] The bookAdapting Superman: Essays on the Transmedia Man of Steel includes two chapters that incorporate analyses of Eisenberg's Luthor: the chapter "Through the Lens of Dr. Frankenstein: Luthor as Prometheus," which analyzes Eisenberg's Luthor as a version of the character that "draws attention toPromethean andFrankensteinian themes," and the chapter "Forging Kryptonite: Lex Luthor's Xenophobia as Societal Fracturing, fromBatman v Superman toSupergirl," which analyzes Eisenberg's Luthor as part of "a representation exploring the cultural effects of encroachingxenophobia" from society to the family "[i]n the years surrounding the2016 United States presidential election."[15]
Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor Jr. was born in 1984 in the city ofMetropolis to an unnamed mother and fatherAlexander Luthor Sr. who was a scientist fromEast Germany and the founder ofheavy machinerypetrochemical company LexCorp and whom he was named after. Despite coming from a wealthy family and having his name be thebrand of the company, the young Lex was subjected daily to physical and emotional abuse by his father which caused him to have a completelymonotheistic view onGod. Sometime in the year 2000, Alexander Sr. passed away of unknown causes which caused Lex toinherit and become the new owner of LexCorp and then industrialize it into a moreelectronic andfuturisticFortune 500 company and technology giant.
While Lex Luthor does not appear in the film, he andLexCorp are alluded to in the film duringSuperman's final fight withGeneral Zod inMetropolis, with Zod kicking a LexCorptank truck towards Superman.
Luthor is introduced as a young, eccentric businessman who is obsessed with destroying Superman. While giving off a welcoming public image, Luthor secretly manipulates certain events such as hiring Russian mobsterAnatoli Knyazev to plant evidence of Superman mass-murdering an African warlord's soldiers while the superhero rescuesLois Lane, leading to the Man of Steel coming under heavy scrutiny. He also begins seekingkryptonite created from Zod's attempt toterraform Earth intoKrypton-like conditions and makes a request toU.S. SenatorJune Finch and other government agents for an import license for the kryptonite and access to a Kryptonian scout ship left from the Battle of Metropolis. When Finch denies his requests, Luthor persuades Finch's gullible colleague, Senator Barrows, to grant him access to the ship, developing a grudge against Finch. He covertly smuggles the kryptonite after being refused the license.
Luthor holds a gala in Metropolis, inviting reporter Clark Kent (Superman's civilian identity) to cover the event andWayne Enterprises CEOBruce Wayne as a guest. While Clark interviews Bruce on his thoughts on the vigilanteBatman, whom Wayne secretly moonlights as, the two argue about Superman and Batman's actions before Luthor interjects himself between the two. Unbeknownst to Kent and Wayne, Luthor has been manipulating the two against each other, secretly sending reports of Batman's brutal form of vigilante justice to theDaily Planet to get Kent's attention.
Luthor also manipulates one of Wayne's former employees, Wallace Keefe, who was crippled during the Battle of Metropolis and holds Superman responsible, by intercepting his compensatory payments from Wayne Enterprises. After Keefe hits rock bottom, he vandalizes a statue of Superman and is arrested. Luthor pays his bail and gives him a chance to testify against Superman during his upcoming public trial and a high-tech wheelchair. However, this is a farce, as Luthor hides a bomb in the wheelchair and detonates it during Superman's trial at theU.S. Capitol Building, killing hundreds including Finch, Barrows, Keefe, and Luthor's personal assistantMercy Graves. Distraught by his failure to detect the bomb,[a] Superman goes into hiding while Bruce Wayne views the news report of the destruction, becoming ever more intent on killing Superman.
Bruce steals a supply of Kryptonite from LexCorp as Batman, creating weapons to take on the Man of Steel. He also analyzes data stolen from Luthor during the gala and discovers Luthor is researching severalmetahumans in an attempt to blackmail them, sending this information to fellow attendeeDiana Prince, one of the metahumans listed in the files. Meanwhile, Luthor kidnaps Lois and Clark's adoptive motherMartha Kent to draw him out of hiding. While Superman rescues Lois and confronts him, Luthor rants about his disdain for the Kryptonian "god" and reveals he has Martha held hostage in a remote location, threatening to kill her unless Superman kills Batman, forcing the two superheroes to fight. After a lengthy struggle, Batman nearly kills Superman with his kryptonite weaponry until Lois intervenes, helping them both understand their deception by Luthor.
After Batman rescues Martha from Knyazev, Luthor unleashes his "backup plan": aKryptonian deformity created using the scout ship's Genesis chamber, Zod's corpse, and Luthor's blood, calling it Superman's "doomsday". The monster begins wreaking havoc, and after another battle that sees Superman, Batman, Diana (asWonder Woman) and the military get involved, Superman sacrifices himself to kill it with Batman's kryptonite spear. Luthor is then arrested after implicitly communicating withSteppenwolf in the scout ship, then sent to Belle Reeve Penitentiary with his head shaven, unable to stand trial due to pleadingnot guilty by insanity. When Batman confronts Luthor in his cell and tells him he would be transferred toArkham Asylum, Luthor gloats about killing Superman, convincing Batman to recruit the metahumans in Luthor's files to fight against potential global threats in Superman's absence.
Luthor briefly appears during apost credits scene. Having escaped from prison following Superman's resurrection, he invitesDeathstroke onto a privateyacht to discuss forming a "league of our own" in response to theJustice League forming.
Luthor appears in a slightly more extensive role in Zack Snyder'sdirector's cut of the film compared to the theatrical version. He is seen observing the effects of Superman's death scream as he views Steppenwolf's hologram in the Kryptonian scout ship prior to his arrest. His escape from prison following Superman's resurrection is also shown in detail during the epilogue, as he finds a mentally insane inmate at Arkham to take his place while he implicitly slips out, with a guard discovering the farce during a roll call. He sports a more calm and refined demeanor, which he attributes to "much needed therapy" from Arkham. Luthor and Deathstroke's scene on the yacht ends with Luthor giving Deathstroke Batman's secret identity.[b]
Jesse Eisenberg appeared in-character as Lex Luthor in aTurkish Airlines advertising campaign aired duringSuper Bowl 50, in which he promotes flying to Metropolis in a tie-in toBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. A counterpart withBen Affleck's Bruce Wayne promoting Gotham City was also aired during the game.[16] In particular, Jesse Eisenberg's part as Lex Luthor in these commercials was praised, as Dirk Libbey ofCinemaBlend noted that "he matches up well with Bruce Wayne by playing the welcoming billionaire business man. It's a far cry from the somewhat cartoonish villain we've seen in the clips from the film."[17]
Eisenberg, along with Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck, reprised their roles in a "deleted scene" ofBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice featuring Affleck's longtime friendJimmy Kimmel shown onJimmy Kimmel Live!, in which Kimmel's character successfully deduces the superhero identities of both Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne at Lex Luthor's gala, much to the chagrin of both superheroes, and even to Luthor's apparent surprise.[18]
As a promotion ofZack Snyder's Justice League onThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert, talkshow hostStephen Colbert portrayed Luthor in a parody of the film's epilogue, with Luthor mistaking Deathstroke forDeadshot andDeadpool andbreaking the fourth wall while attempting to explain issues with character licensing and continuity within the DCEU and other superhero franchises such as theMarvel Cinematic Universe,X-Men film series, andSony's Spider-Man Universe.[19]
Eisenberg's casting as Luthor surprised many,[4] with Daniel Distant ofThe Christian Post expressing intrigue in how the "out-of-character" Eisenberg would portray Luthor at the time of the casting's announcement,[8] and others initially opining that Eisenberg was "too young" to portray the traditionally middle-aged Luthor.[6] His performance inBatman v Superman received mostly negative reviews along with the film itself,[20] later earning him theGolden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor.[21] Andy Scott ofGrunge.com specifically wrote that Eisenberg's performance was "over the top", also unfavorably comparing his Luthor to an amalgamation of his portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg inThe Social Network andHeath Ledger'sportrayal of the Joker inThe Dark Knight.[22]
However, in a retrospective, more positive review of the film in 2020, Travis Bean ofForbes wrote that Eisenberg's performance, which he described as essentially a "wicked, delirious version ofFacebook's founder," was "misunderstood" by the majority of audiences when first seen in 2016, and that in 2020, Eisenberg's "fascinating take on DC universe’s most heinous, destructive villain would be incredibly relevant to our current volatile political climate."[14] Renaldo Matadeen ofCBR.com revisited Eisenberg's casting as Luthor after viewing the actor's performance inVivarium and gained an appreciation for what Zack Snyder saw in him. He opined that "Vivarium is a stark reminder of the do-gooder Lex aspires to be who does bad stuff in the name of justice."[23]
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The plot description and characterization were adapted fromLex Luthor at the DC Extended Universe Wiki, which is available under aCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA 3.0) license.| Films |
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