Batman V Superman: 34 Easter Eggs & References You Must See

28. Lex Luthor

There are some theories that suggest that Jesse Eisenberg initially auditioned to play The Riddler, based on the fact that the original plan was apparently to include the iconic Batman villain. But assuming someone was supposed to be playing another character simply because they're so unsuitable for the role they were actually cast for is just a charitable way of deflecting criticism. This Luthor is like nothing we've seen on film before, and it's a stark removal from the idea of Lex as a cunning, megalomaniac genius. Instead, we got a jabbering dot com magnate with a God complex. But there is actually something of the comics in Eisenberg's performance. The performance is a lot like the Luthor seen in All-Star Superman, who hates Superman because he's an alien and wishes more than anything to prove himself superior in any way. At one point, Lex wears a Banksy T-shirt - presumably to really hammer home the fact that he's an absolute dick.