Director James Gunn has confirmed that Nicholas Hoult will play Lex Luthor in the upcoming Superman: Legacy. In an Instagram post, Gunn confirmed the reports and explained Hoult’s casting process.

 

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Hoult’s role had already been announced in November, but Gunn wanted to wait to confirm it when he was sure that Hoult would play the character. Because the casting was still under discussion, Gunn explained, “I don’t want to tell you all something that isn’t certain.”

As soon as the casting was confirmed, Gunn and Hoult went out to dinner to celebrate the latter’s casting. During their meal, the two talked about Lex’s character and the work needed to make him stand out from past performances. In his post, Gunn promised that this version of Lex “will be different from anything you’ve seen before and will never forget.”

Though Gunn had officially confirmed Hoult as Luthor, Warner Bros. had him slated ever since the strike had ended. In addition to already having him on contract due to his casting in Clint Eastwood’s Juror No. 2, the studio wanted to employ a big-name star after Gunn had cast newcomers as Superman and Lois Lane. According to DC Studios, the upcoming film is meant to be a new beginning for the DC cinematic universe.

Superman: Legacy is set to release worldwide on July 11, 2025.