Batman Vs Superman: 10 Superior Actors Who Should Have Been Lex Luthor

How do you solve a problem like Lex Luthor...?

By Daniel Minton /

Every great hero has a villain: Batman has the Joker, The Fantastic Four have Dr. Doom, Superman has Lex Luthor. They validate the heroes, because frankly, without darkness there can be no light. Lex Luthor is Superman's most infamous nemesis, and while Batman Vs Superman may focus on the conflict between the Dark Knight and The Man Of Steel, it is he who will remain Superman's greatest foe. And frankly there are few who could have taken his place as a character, especially in this project, because Superman is a challenging character because he is so over-powered; there is limited opportunity to find a villain who is a genuine threat to Superman's power, and this has not always proved easy to do. Director Zack Snyder at least knows the value of having the different threat that Luthor represents:
"What's great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He's a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman."
From this, we get a slight sense of the type of character that Snyder will try and create in his new film. Reference to his wealth suggests that this will be Luthor as the megalomaniac businessman, not necessarily the lone mad scientist of the 1950's and 60's: a man mad with power, hell-bent on taking Superman down. And it is for this side of the role that Snyder has chosen Jesse Eisenberg. But Eisenberg's casting caught people cold, especially as he does not fit the mould of the classic DC villain Lex Luthor. With his youth, his soft voice and mop of curly hair it is hard to imagine that Eisenberg will be able to transform himself into a realistic threat to Superman. And barring a simialr response to the performance that HEath Ledger's expectations defying turn as The Joker managed, it looks like fans will remain to be convinced for a long while, if at all. What Batman Vs Superman really needed was an immediate banker - an actor who can bring a similar level of performance to the character of Lex Luthor if it is to enter into the pantheon of great superhero movies. With that in mind, we've put together a list of ten actors who could and should have performed the role as Lex Luthor, the reasons they could have made a terrific Luthor, and recommended moment to show their suitability to the role.