The Only Lex Luthor Explainer You Need Before Superman

You can't properly tell a Superman story without his nemesis Lex Luthor. Nicholas Hoult is stepping into Luthor's shoes in 2025's "Superman," but the character actually has a long history in the movies. Check out Looper's recap video for everything you need to know about Lex Luthor and Superman before you sit down to watch the new movie.

Luthor is the most iconic villain in Superman's rogues gallery, and quite a few actors have left their mark on the character. During the Christopher Reeve era, Luthor was memorably played by Gene Hackman, while in 2006's "Superman Returns," Kevin Spacey took on the role. For years Michael Rosenbaum played Lex on the TV show "Smallville." Fans most recently saw Luthor in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," where he was played by Jesse Eisenberg. While that movie was a financial success, earning nearly $900 million at the box office, some have taken issue with Eisenberg's highly energetic portrayal of the character. Every version of Lex Luthor is a little different, but fans agree that he should be a calm, collected businessman above all else.

Movie and comic book fans alike have high expectations for the version of Lex Luthor appearing in James Gunn's new "Superman" movie. Fans are hoping that they'll get a more comics-accurate take on Supe's greatest villain, and based on what we know about the movie right now, that's exactly what they're going to get.

The plot of the upcoming "Superman" movie is a mystery, but we've already gotten some clues about Lex Luthor's evil plan. The "Superman" trailer, and Lex's entire character history, has clued us in that, not surprisingly, he's once again plotting against Supes and — as in the comics — harbors a deep hatred for the last son of Krypton. A clip from the movie shared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" also hinted that the new scheme might involve Krypto the Superdog, while reminding us of the real reason Superman should be afraid of Lex.

Aside from the trailer, we've also gotten hints about the movie from early reactions online. Posts started making the rounds on June 25 after fans were shown the first 30 minutes of the film at a promotional event in Brazil. The people who saw the footage said it was incredible, making Superman fans across the world even more excited for the movie. Currently "Superman" is tracking to have an opening weekend between $90 and $125 million, which wouldn't be a bad way for the new DC Universe to take off. Don't forget to check out Looper's video above to catch up on Lex Luthor's long history before "Superman" arrives on July 11.