Batman v Superman: Eisenberg Offered A Different Role
Lex Luthor wasn’t the first role Zack Snyder had in mind for Jesse Eisenberg in Batman v Superman
Jesse Eisenberg plays billionaire and top DC supervillain Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman. But Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder originally had another role in mind for Eisenberg.
"Let’s call it a secret, but nevertheless it was the exact opposite of Lex Luthor. I feel like once [Eisenberg] found out who Lex was he embraced it. Once you kind of start digging into Lex, it’s a bit of a scary thing to be that guy. I don’t think he just goes ‘Oh, I’ll just be that guy and then when I go home I’m not him.’ I think the thing with Jessie is he wasn’t immune to the reality of playing a super-scary character."
Someone who is the exact opposite of Lex Luthor? The obvious answers seem to be Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent, but I seriously doubt Eisnberg was ever in contention for either of those roles. They already had a Superman/Clark Kent they were happy with in Henry Cavill, and Ben Affleck was Snyder’s top choice for Batman/Bruce Wayne from pretty much the start. But I have a theory…
Next: Batman v Superman: Lex Luthor
You remember that fake Fortune interview with Lex Luthor? It specifically mentions Kord Industries. Now why would you do that unless you are introducing Ted Kord aka The Blue Beetle at some point in the DC cinematic universe? I think that was the role Zack Snyder originally offered to Jesse Esienberg. He could totally have been Ted Kord. The reasoning? Pretty simple. Ted Kord/Blue Beetle would be someone very pro-alien and alien technology, as that is exactly what his suit is. Luthor is very anti-alien, makes them pretty much opposites. If that’s the case, maybe Kord is actually in the movie somewhere (hell, maybe he’s Scoot McNairy, we still don’t have official news on who he is playing)? We may never find out who Eisenberg was supposed to play, but now I’ll personally spend the next couple months wondering (and hoping a little) if Ted Kord is in Batman v Superman.
h/t CBM