Adam Driver and Joaquin Phoenix were approached for Lex Luthor

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Other options explored before Jesse Eisenberg

The reaction to Jesse Eisenberg’s recent casting as Lex Luthor in Batman vs. Superman has been relatively positive, but it could have been very different had Warner Bros. persuaded one of their original targets to sign on.

THR claims that both Adam Driver and Joaquin Phoenix were approached regarding the role before Eisenberg was cast, with both actors eventually passing up the opportunity.

According to the report, Driver was keen on the role, but was unable to accept due to scheduling issues, while Phoenix rejected the role out of hand.

It certainly seems that Warner’s thinking was to cast somebody of an age that could make them a contemporary of Clark Kent’s, in contrast with the older actors who have played the role in the past.

For our money, Eisenberg is an excellent pick, and will make for a worthy adversary when the film arrives in UK screens on 6 May 2016…

George Wales
George Wales

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.