Jesse Eisenberg: Lex Luthor is complicated and challenging in ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’

Jesse Eisenberg hasn’t said much about his Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice role since he was cast as Lex Luthor, but in issue 224 of Total Film magazine he finally opens up. Comic Book Movie picked up the latest issue of Total Film and provided a great summary of the interview.

Eisenberg explained that he’s been reading a lot of comic books since being cast, and he even went back and watched Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor performance in the old Christopher Reeve Superman movies.

Eisenberg couldn’t reveal too much about his Lex Luthor, but did admit that he’s a complicated, challenging person in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Eisenberg said that he collaborated with writer Chris Terrio on the character:

“There are some indications of how the character should behave based on the script, and then an actor makes it his or her own. I got to know one of the writers really well, Chris Terrio, and we were able to discuss things at length and figure out who this person is to create a real psychology behind what is, perhaps, in a comic book, a less than totally modern psychology. I can only say I’ve been asked to play an interesting role: a complicated, challenging person.”

Sources told Batman News a bit more about Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice back in June. Eisenberg’s Luthor has jittery mannerisms, like a 20-something guy that pounds energy drinks all day. Lex Luthor may not be bald either, Eisenberg was sporting long, wavy, dirty blonde hair in the scenes he shot in June.

Sources also told Batman News that LexCorp is a young, edgy company like a .com startup. It’s a smart company with a stylish vibe, a youthful clash of rock and roll, preppy, and nerdy employees. There’s even a basketball court in the lobby with a giant 30 foot neon LexCorp industries sign.

SOURCE: Total Film (via Comic Book Movie)