Superman star Nicholas Hoult has given DC fans an insight into his iteration of villain Lex Luthor.
The newly released trailer of James Gunn's superhero movie includes a sneak peek of Hoult's bald baddie, with the actor teasing there's more to his own Lex than meets the eye.
"This Lex is obviously smart and ruthless, and he has to outmanoeuvre Superman on certain levels because he can't match him on others," Hoult told Entertainment Weekly.
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Speaking about Lex's crusade against Superman, Hoult suggested his character's motives may even elicit some sympathy from the audience.
"There's also something about this character, hopefully from my standpoint, where even though you perhaps don't agree with his process, there's an element where you can understand on some levels where he's coming from and why what he's pushing as his ideology is perhaps better for humanity," he said.
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The hotly anticipated movie, originally titled Superman: Legacy, has just debuted a teaser showing a badly injured protagonist who's struggling to breathe after an unseen fight. Played by David Corenswet, this version of Superman whistles dog Krypto for help to go back "home".
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The clip also includes a scene where the superhero's plainclothes alter ego, Clark Kent, gets a job at the Daily Planet and locks eyes with determined reporter Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan).
Gunn explained journalism has a prominent role in the film, saying: "The fact that they are both journalists and the fact that Lois is as good at journalism as Superman is protecting the world is an important part of the film.
"I think that Lois Lane is someone who is going to be admired by boys and girls around the world for her pursuit of the truth and her strength in that."
Superman is released in cinemas on July 11, 2025.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy.
Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).
