Why Jesse Eisenberg deserves a Lex Luthor movie

With rumors suggesting that we might see a Lex Luthor standalone film in the style of Joker, here’s why Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex deserves his chance to shine in the film.

A “credible comic book insider” Mikey Sutton has reportedly stated that Warner Bros plans to make a Lex Luthor movie in the same style as Joker – a disconnected film that stands on its own.

The character is, of course, portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg in the DCEU and there’s a strong case to be made as to why his version of the character deserves the chance at a standalone origin film.

With that in mind, let’s take a few moments to look at Eisenberg’s Lex and see why his version of the character would be perfect for a gritty R-rated drama about a man’s descent into egomania.

A timely yet misunderstood casting

It came as a surprise to many when director Zack Snyder announced Jesse Eisenberg as the new Lex Luthor of the DCEU. He would go on to appear in two films, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League. While the role was divisive at the time, the actor’s portrayal has gone on to develop a cult following, with many showing appreciation for his version of Lex.

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One of the reasons his Lex was so shocking was due to the fact that he seemingly too different from the comic book version, especially when it came to his long hair. However, this was in fact not true as the character had long hair in the comics and, more often than not, has even had hair in previous films.

Snyder later said that he intended for this modern Lex to be one that would fit in with our society. The comic version of the Man of Steels’ greatest foe was crafted after the oil tycoons and railroad barons of the early 1900s, whereas Jesse Eisenberg was meant to channel Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk.

Sadly due to a mix of interference by Warner Bros BvS was not released in theaters in its extended form, robbing many of the chance to see Lex at his full capacity – something that led many to dislike Lex Luthor.

He was better received once the Ultimate Edition, was released, however.

It wasn’t until the post-credit scene of Justice League that fans began to see the potential of Jesse Eisenberg.

In the scene, we see a newly bald, suit-wearing Lex Luthor on a yacht, surrounded by bodyguards – a Lex very in-line with his comic origin look.

Jesse Eisenberg loves the role and hopes to return

Sadly we have not seen Lex Luthor since that ill-fated film. That said, in a 2018 interview with Variety, Eisenberg expressed interest in reviving the DCEU’s version of Mr. Luthor.

He said the following, when asked if he would return to the role.

"I hope so. I mean, I have no idea is the truth. I love playing the character. Probably in terms of movie acting, it’s the most enjoyable character I’ve had the opportunity to play. So I would love to do it again. But I don’t know what their slate is. If you have any pull, please use it."

Universally almost everyone who works with Snyder loves him, and Eisenberg is no exception, and it sounds like the character that Jesse was developing was far deeper then audiences thought – and one that the actor would be more than capable of exploring further in a Lex Luthor movie

An evolving DCEU

The DCEU is changing and we are now seeing a mix of R-rated and PG13 films in the same universe – something that is rather shocking as, previously, cinematic universes tended to adhere to a strict rating and tone.

All that is now changing and we now will be seeing various DCEU films that differ in tone, narratives, and style (with rumors that next year’s Birds of Prey might adopt an R rating). Due to this, a Lex Luthor movie with Eisenberg’s character could still be very dark and even R-rated, – and this could open lots of doors for creativity.

His Lex Luthor is the darkest, most twisted incarnation yet

As stated above there is no reason to think Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor movie would have to be tame. In BvS we get some rich backstory on Lex – backstory that is just waiting for deeper exploration in a standalone origin.

In the film, Lex talks about how he grew up being horribly abused by his father, and how this abuse led to a hatred of God and, by extension, Superman.

Here is his quote:

"No man in the sky intervened when I was a boy to deliver me from Daddy’s fist and abominations. I figured out way back if God is all-powerful, He cannot be all good. And if He is all good, then He cannot be all-powerful."

Lex is a classic sociopath – however one that could have been born of trauma and abuse, he has a sense of entitlement that pervades his life. PsychologyToday has this to say about sociopaths and entitlement:

"The sense of entitlement that comes with sociopathy is astonishing to those who abide by the social laws and conventions of our culture. Where does the entitlement come from? It stems from an underlying sense of rage. Sociopaths feel deeply angry and resentful underneath their often-charming exterior, and this rage fuels their sense that they have the right to act out in whichever way they happen to choose at the time. Everything is up for grabs with sociopaths and nothing is off limits."

The revelation of physical (and maybe worse) abuse leveled on Lex at a young age would be quite the background to develop upon, showing us how he grows up to be the man that we saw in Batman v Superman. The hatred he has for his father also comes out, with the film perhaps even alluding to the fact that he may have murdered Lex Luthor Sr.

Lex, as shown in the DCEU, is a product of abuse and unfettered privilege and wealth. The lack of power growing up led him to seek to be all-powerful, his hatred of his father led him to hate all authority figures (except for himself).

As you can see there is plenty to delve into for a solo film, and more than enough for a twistedly dark tale of abuse, privilege, and power that leads one young man to turn into a monster.

What do you think? Would you like a Jesse Eisenberg-led Lex Luthor Movie, let us know in the comments below!