Actor Jessie Eisenberg has made the most of his career. Once thought to be a stand-in or replacement in case Michael Cera wasn’t available, Eisenberg has made a name for himself as a respectable actor. After doing a lot of his early work in the comedy realm in films such as Adventureland and Zombieland, he took the next step after portraying internet mogul and Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network. The result was an Academy Award nomination. The role gave casting directors a different look at Eisenberg. No longer seen as an one-note dweebish character, he showed that he had the range to play the smartest guy in the room. Enter Lex Luthor.
When Eisenberg was cast as Superman’s greatest foe, Lex Luthor, the internet was equal parts outraged and simply confused. In most modern comic book takes of Luthor, not only is he a brilliant mind and egomaniac, he also pushes his body to peak conditions, to test the limits of man. This is not the image that Eisenberg projects, even after his best day at the gym. However it looks as if director Zack Snyder and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice screenwriter Chris Terrio (Argo) have taken this into account and have a laid out a much more complex character for Eisenberg to play. Here is what Eisenberg had to say to Total Film:
“There are some indications of how the character should behave based on the script, and then as actor makes it his or her own. I got to know one of the writers, Chris Terrio, and we were able to discuss things at length and figure out who this person is to create a real psychology behind what is, perhaps, in a comic book, a less than totally modern psychology. I can only say I’ve been asked to play an interesting role. A complicated, challenging person.”
It should be noted that he initially agreed to the role without seeing the script due to the extreme amount of secrecy. However it is clear that he is very motivated to really dig into their portrayal of Luthor. There aren’t a lot of details on Dawn of Justice, however it has leaked that this interpretation of Luthor will be a more modern, Zuckerberg-esque version of the megalomaniac. Lex Corp will not be some financial hightower building, but a young modern company run by modern minds.
Dawn of Justice has been kept under tight wraps during the course of the production. While the exact take on Luthor is unknown, most speculate that Eisenberg’s character will initially be the voice of the fan that asked, why did Superman cause all that destruction during his fight with Zod at the end of Man of Steel? Possibly positioning him as the human hero. What the citizens of Metropolis will be unaware of, is his diabolical nature and the true reasons for his actions. Whatever they have come up with has clearly enthused Eisenberg. However, he is impressed by the production as a whole this far. This is what he had to say about filming:
“I realize how popular comic-book movies are, and now, working on one, I realise why they’re popular – the story is really good, the dialogue is really good, the artistry behind every department is high, the acting is really good. So if they’re all put together with that level of quality…”
We are in a new era of filmmaking, where comic books as source material, are looked at with the same amount of reverence that adapting a novel might have. In addition, this film has the potential to be the biggest movie of all time, so it seems that Warner Bros. has impressed Eisenberg by assembling the highest quality of talent in all areas of the production. That is a great statement coming from an actor who has worked with some of the industry’s top directors and writers in his career.
While Eisenberg didn’t shed light on any story beats or character motivations, his level of attentiveness to the project should give fans a reason to exhale. It is uncertain how large a role he has in this film or how many films he has signed on for. Heck, we don’t even know if he will shave his head for the role. However, as shooting continues more details are becoming available daily.
So how do you feel about his approach to Lex Luthor? Do you think Snyder and Terrio will have an appropriate take on Luthor? Let us know on the boards, and !
Source: Collider Art by: CarbonWinters & Darren1987