SUPERMAN Director James Gunn Shares Comic Book Influences for Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor

As James Gunn is deep in post-production on his movie Superman, he shared the comic book influence behind his new take on the villain Lex Luthor.

Nicholas Hoult was cast as Lex in the movie and when the casting was announced, Gunn said that they are looking to “create a Lex that will be different from anything you’ve seen before and will never forget.”

Gunn also said that Lex was one of his favorite characters in the DCU, and now he is sharing the inspiration behind his version of the villain.

The filmmaker was recently asked on social media about his Lex author influences and said: "God there are so many. Lex is one of my favorites - he works on so many levels - and it’s been a joy bringing him to the screen with the incredible Nicholas Hoult.

“Some of the influences were, of course, All-Star Superman, Azzarello’s Luthor, and the reckless scientific genius from the 1950’s and ‘60’s".

Hoult previously said that he took some inspiration from the All-Star Superman version of Luthor.

Lex Luthor: Man of Steel is a 2005 miniseries offers a unique perspective on Superman through the eyes of Lex. The story dives into Luthor’s motivations, portraying him not as a villain but as a man deeply concerned about the power Superman holds over humanity.

In the story, Luthor views himself as a protector of human potential and free will, seeing Superman as an alien threat who, despite his benevolent image, diminishes the importance of human achievement.

The series explores the moral ambiguity of Luthor’s crusade, casting him as a complex character driven by fear, jealousy, and his own ambition to be the hero humanity deserves.

As for the "scientific genius" Lex… Possible SPOILERS ahead:

In the film, the character will reportedly be responsible for creating the genetic Superman clone, which is being referred to as Ultraman, who has been spotted in set photos.

This movie will tell the story of “Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas.

“He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.”

Superman has been described as "fantastic" and "a complete shift to hardcore sci-fi and fantasy, the exact opposite of Man of Steel.

"It's set in a world very different from ours and far removed from the DCEU. Heroes have been around for ages, and we'll see how it affected this world's history and has shaped the DCU."

When shooting on the film wrapped, Gunn said: "I set out to make a movie about a good man in a world that isn’t always so much. And the goodness and kindness and love I’ve encountered on a daily basis on the set has inspired me and thrust me forward when I felt too spent to move on my own.”

Superman also stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane; Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern; Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl; Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt / Mr. Terrific; Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen; María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica, aka The Engineer; Sara Sampaio, as Eve Teschmacher; and Terence Rosemore as Otis.

Superman will launch the movie part of DC Studios’ Gods and Monsters: Part 1. It’s scheduled for a theatrical release on July 11, 2025.