James Gunn’s reboot of the Superman franchise hits theaters on July 11, 2025. It will be the first theatrical release of a DC Universe movie since Gunn took the helm in 2022. Superman promises to take beloved and well-known characters and add a new twist to them. Not only will this Superman be different, but expect some changes to his longtime enemy, Lex Luthor, as well.
Gunn recently told Rolling Stone that the new Superman, played by David Corenswet, will not be as invincible as previous iterations. Henry Cavill’s version of Superman was powerful and difficult to beat, but Corenswet’s will be more vulnerable. During the interview, Gunn also spoke about how the new version of Lex Luthor will be someone audiences can connect to more.
When it comes to superhero movies, often the hero is only as good as their villain. Lex Luthor is the human arch-nemesis of Superman. Although the comics have portrayed Lex in many different lights over the years, the movies have consistently depicted him as an evil billionaire. Audiences adore Superman because he is the ultimate do-gooder. Since Lex is determined to defeat Superman, audiences, of course, don’t like Lex.
Even with the charismatic Gene Hackman playing Lex Luthor in the 1978 Superman movie, it didn’t make the character popular. He wasn’t nearly as noteworthy when compared to the extreme success of Jack Nicholson as the Joker in the original Batman film. The problem wasn’t the actor but the one-dimensional issue of making Lex an ultra-rich megalomaniac. No one can relate to that, so audiences want him defeated. For a compelling villain, people need to relate to them in some way.
With Gunn writing and directing the new Superman, fans of the franchise may finally have the most relatable version of the character. Gunn said to Rolling Stone:
“I really understand Lex. I feel like I relate to Lex way more than I wish I did. But for me, Lex looks at Superman like artists look at AI. He is the world’s greatest man in so many ways. He’s done these unparalleled things. And then you got a guy who comes in who’s done nothing to deserve the ability to fly and to smash down buildings. And he’s also extraordinarily handsome, too. And all of a sudden, that’s all the world is talking about. And that sort of obsession with being replaced, with being—with your gifts not being seen or passed over — I think is what drives Lex. I relate to everything he does. He’s just meaner than I am.”
Putting Lex in that context makes him much more human than any other film version. Lex has worked his entire life to be the best and the smartest, but the public ignores him because they are obsessed with the seemingly perfect alien, Superman. Artists hate AI-made art for the same reason. Now, Lex isn’t just the evil to Superman’s good. He’s understandable and human, not a caricature. This Lex leans more into Lex as a scientist and a man driven for change. Superman has it all without the hard work and yet doesn’t create any substantial changes to make the world different.
It’s easy to believe Gunn can make an uninteresting character into a fantastic and compelling watch. The proof is Peacemaker. Gunn, along with help from actor John Cena, took an obscure character with a silly helmet and made him into a layered and fascinating character. For Superman, Nicholas Hoult (X-Men: First Class, Nosferatu), an actor who has brought depth to many characters, will play Lex Luthor. It will be interesting to see just how much Gunn and Hoult can make a once-basic villain into someone people can understand.
