Jesse Eisenberg has assured fans his casting as supervillain Lex Luthor will all make sense once they see Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Director Zack Snyder split fans when he announced The Social Network star as Superman’s comic book nemesis, and even Jesse admits he would never have considered himself to be a good fit for the character – until after he read the script
“It’s certainly strange and unnerving to be criticised for a part you haven’t been able to yet screw up,” Jesse mused during a recent press conference. “I think I would have been surprised had I read I was playing Lex Luthor without having access to this wonderful script and this incredible character written by Chris Terrio, who created a character that I thought was suitable for me.”
And Jesse is convinced fans will feel the same once they finally settle down to watch the film.
He added, “If you look at the canon and the mythology and history of Superman, I might not be the first person that comes to mind, but if you read the script and understood how the character was conceptualised in this modern era and the way he was written, I knew that I could do it well. And at least I hoped after people had seen the movie, they would understand that I was more appropriate than they had originally feared.”
Jesse’s casting wasn’t the only decision to draw criticism from fans – many also cast doubt on Ben Affleck’s ability to properly portray Batman onscreen in the Man of Steel sequel.
The Argo star previously admitted he was initially reluctant to play the Caped Crusader opposite Henry Cavill’s Superman in the new superhero film, and it took some convincing for him to accept the role.
In 2013, he told 411mania.com, “Initially I was reluctant as I felt I didn’t fit the traditional mold, but once Zack showed me the concept… I was excited.”
“Doing something different and new is always tricky and part of the thrill and the risk is that initially it confounds expectations. The truth is, it’s the movie and the execution of it which is what all the actors depend on and I believe in Zack’s vision.”
