Nicholas Hoult is reportedly in the running for Lex Luthor in Superman: Legacy

Nicholas Hoult as Renfield in Renfield — (Image credit: Universal Studios)

A huge Superman: Legacy casting update is here – and it says Nicholas Hoult is in the running to play Lex Luthor.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, the role of Luthor has just one actor "earmarked," and that's Hoult. The actor was runner up for the role of Bruce Wayne in The Batman and he played Beast in Fox's X-Men movies, so this isn't his first brush with the superhero world.

Deadline reports that Hoult is actually in the mix for Clark Kent, adding that Gunn is talking to "A-list names" he has previously worked with for Luthor. Reporter Justin Kroll also tweeted that a Guardians of the Galaxy 3 actor was in contention for the part. "One thing not mentioned, while they have been taking submissions for the Lex Luthor role, sources tell me Gunn has been talking to one of his Guardians for the part," he revealed. "Sounds like it's probably not happening but there certainly were discussions during GOTG 3 press tour."

The report says that a role actors have been testing for is called "Apex," which could be a reference to Apex Lex Luthor, a version of the villain capable of going toe to toe with Supes who also had dealings with the multiverse.

At the moment, then, it's unclear who will end up playing Supes' greatest nemesis, and it's still unknown who'll be donning the red cape, too. But, actors including David Corenswet are being named as Clark Kent contenders, while names surrounding Lois Lane's casting include Samara Weaving, Emma Mackey, Phoebe Dynevor, and Rachel Brosnahan.

Not much else is known about Superman: Legacy just yet, but it will kickstart DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters on July 11, 2025 and is set to focus on Clark Kent as a young reporter for the Daily Planet. Plus, the THR report indicates that the film "will seek to introduce DC heroes that are already established in the movie's setting," suggesting we could be seeing some more iconic characters outside of the Superman stable.

While you wait for Superman: Legacy, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows for everything else coming soon.

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.