The December issue of Total Film has some interesting new info about Jesse Eisenberg’s role in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Eisenberg had originally met with Zack Snyder about a different role in the movie. Snyder said he had been meeting with “the usual suspects that you’d imagine for Lex”… meaning someone older. Warner Bros. was interested in Joaquin Phoenix, for example. But once Eisenberg was cast as Luthor, screenwriter Chris Terrio tweaked the script to better suit a younger version of the character.

The Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Lex Luthor is a young billionaire now, not unlike Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who Eisenberg portrayed brilliantly in The Social Network. He even has a basketball court in his office building, to drive home the young Silicon Valley take they’re going with.

Eisenberg thought it was a bit weird playing a villain, especially against an actor like Ben Affleck. “It’s strange acting with people like Ben Affleck, having to condescend to someone like him,” he joked. “Off set, you’re thinking of this person in reverential terms, and then on set I condescend him, really quite nasty…”

I’m still pouring through this massive issue of Total Film. Catch up on all of the other news I’ve posted so far here.

SOURCE: Total Film (December 2015)