Actor Jesse Eisenberg has shared his views on his time as Lex Luthor in the now-defunct DCEU. Jesse Eisenberg portrayed the iconic Superman antagonist in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which came out in 2016. While the movie garnered polarizing reviews, to say the least, the Social Network star mostly received backlash for his unusual take on Luthor. In a recent discussion, the actor finally addressed the contentious role and how it has impacted his stay in the entertainment industry.
Jesse Eisenberg says Lex Luthor hurt his career ‘in a real way’
Jesse Eisenberg stated that portraying Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice ended up hurting his acting career severely. While he admitted to faring poorly in previous roles as well, he expressed that doing so in such a public project only heightened the negative PR against him.
The 41-year-old actor shared his experience in the DCEU film during a recent conversation with Armchair Expert. “I’ve never said this before and it’s kind of embarrassing to admit, but I genuinely think I genuinely think it actually hurt my career in a real way,” Eisenberg noted. “I was poorly received in something so public. I’ve been in poorly received things that just don’t see the light of day. And, for the most part, no one knows, but this was so public.”
Despite facing somewhat of a downfall in his career due to his portrayal of Lex Luthor, Jesse Eisenberg gracefully accepted full accountability for the resulting consequences. “I loved my role and the movie, doing it and everything, so I feel just myself to blame,” the actor remarked.
Upon its release in 2016, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice shattered several box-office records. Nevertheless, a second-week slump resulted in the movie garnering just over $850 million at the worldwide box office. While the collection on its own appears to be a massive one, the film’s bloated budget and negative reviews meant it ended its theatrical run as a flop.
The Synder-verse has since gone extinct, with James Gunn’s revamped DCU taking its place. His Superman flick will mark the first theatrical entry in the universe, which has already welcomed the Creature Commandos series. Superman, directed by Gunn, will be hitting the big screens on July 11, 2025.
