Batman vs. Superman: Jesse Eisenberg & Jeremy Irons Added to Cast
Batman vs. Superman, the sequel to 2013's hit film Man of Steel, is well into the pre-production process. The film is shaping up to be an epic battle of braun and acting chops judging by recent cast additions. As you may know, Israeli actress and model Gal Gadot of Fast and Furious fame signed on to play Wonder Woman a few months back. Henry Cavill returns to don the "S" and cape as Kal-El. And, of course, Ben Affleck will play the an older version of the caped crusader than we saw in The Dark Knight trilogy. It should be mentioned that not every fan is thrilled with Ben Affleck's casting.
The latest two casting announcement's are even more surprising than Affleck. Jesse Eisenberg, accustomed to playing geeky characters in films like Adventureland and The Social Network, is set to play Superman's arch-rival Lex Luthor. Director Zack Snyder ("300") is very happy to have Eisenberg onboard as evidenced by his comments in a recent press release.
"Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman's rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940."
Snyder continued by praising Eisenberg's chameleon-like acting abilities.
"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. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions."
The second addition to the cast is Academy Award winning Englishman Jeremy Irons. Irons replaces Michael Caine, who played Alfred in all three Christopher Nolan flicks. Interestingly enough, Nolan is producing this film. Snyder is all to pleased with the veteran actor coming onboard.
"As everyone knows, Alfred is Bruce Wayne's most trusted friend, ally and mentor, a noble guardian and father figure," Synder said. "He is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman. It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious façade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne."
Does all this sound exciting to you? Well, you'd better be patient as Batman vs. Superman is going to be released worldwide on May 6, 2016. A delay pushed the film back an entire year.
Will you be suiting up to go see Batman vs. Superman? Let me know your favorite DC character in the comments section below.