“I had a Mentos. Do you want one?” Perched in a glass conference room wearing a T-shirt with the sleeves hiked up, actor Jesse Eisenberg unrolls candy mints and makes polite conversation.

Meet the new face of the Machiavellian comic-book supervillain Lex Luthor.

Eisenberg has just finished filming behind-the-scenes footage for “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” expanding on Luthor’s ancillary storyline that Warner Bros. dreamed up for his character’s immense corporation, LexCorp. It’s a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the SEO-friendly villain that will be used to market the film, which opens March 25.

FULL COVERAGE: 2016 movies guide


Gone is the magnificent underground lair or ascot-heavy wardrobe, replaced with a Fortune 500-friendly progeny. This is the millennial Luthor, a deviation that Eisenberg dubs a relief. “When you’re doing a movie like this and playing a character that’s already been played, the further away it is from those previous incarnations the better,” Eisenberg said. “Because chances are, especially with a guy like Gene Hackman or Kevin Spacey, you’re not going to get favorably compared.”

Also absent: Luthor’s signature hair style — or lack of hair. True comic-book aficionados know that Luthor is usually presented totally bald. Many months back the studio released images of Eisenberg outfitted in the famous chrome dome. But recent footage has shown the young mogul introducing Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent (Henry Cavill), to Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) capped with long, flowing brown locks not dissimilar to Eisenberg’s real hair.

When asked to explain Luthor’s new hairdo, Eisenberg would only joke about it. “Literally, there would be one of those Wile E. Coyote things where the piano drops from the sky randomly on his head. That’s what will happen to me.” Clearly Warner Bros. is protective of even the tiniest strand of spoilers in the latest addition to the franchise relaunch of the DC Comics movie-verse.


However, Eisenberg promises the patience will pay off, “When you see the movie, you’ll see. It’s the greatest scene that I’ve ever gotten to take part in — it accounts for the change in hair.”

Eisenberg is best known for portraying neurotic, verbal characters such as Mark Zuckerberg in “The Social Network” or the reporter interviewing David Foster Wallace in “The End of the Tour.” So the actor called stepping into the scoundrel spotlight a “liberating experience.”

He admits that playing an iconic role in a highly anticipated movie comes with a price.

“The only difference between this movie and everything else I’ve ever been in is this has an audience that has prior expectations, and that’s the only thing that I find disconcerting because it feels like some people are occasionally ready to get angry at me for the part they haven’t seen me play yet. It’s bewildering.”


Eisenberg’s Luthor will still be a calculating force of evil, but like the new Superman that came before him in “Man of Steel” this is a chance to re-introduce and expand the classic character. So there’s going to be a bit of Luthor back story — a compelling reason for Eisenberg to take the role.

When you’re doing a movie like this and playing a character that’s already been played, the further away it is from those previous incarnations the better. Jesse Eisenberg, actor

“The character has a core of reality,” Eisenberg explained. "[Luthor] has a back story that’s tragic and an emotional inner life that’s authentic. That’s in the movie. It was my interest in playing the character with a real emotional core, and this writer, Chris Terrio’s interest in creating a character that seemed viable in reality.”

In the film, Luthor becomes the physical catalyst for the epic battle between Superman and Batman. He’s the little “v” between Batman and Superman. He’s particularly worried about Superman’s powers — apparently Luthor isn’t keen on letting an omnipotent alien gain access to whatever he wants. That and a heaping messiah complex.


“To call him self-aggrandizing is to say that the Titanic was a sailboat,” Eisenberg said. “He is a narcissist of the first order but complicated in that way as well in that he is terribly troubled and competitive and vengeful. He looks at Superman not as somebody to destroy but as genuine threat to humanity.”

1 / 82 Our Winter-Spring movie preview guide. (Handout) 2 / 82 Duped while trying to find Stanley Kubrick in 1969 London, an erratic CIA agent teams with a rock band manager to stage the moon landing. With Ron Perlman, Rupert Grint, Robert Sheehan. Directed by Antoine Bardou-Jacquet. Alchemy (Alchemy) 3 / 82 During the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Libya, elite ex-military operatives bravely fight back when plans go awry. With James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Max Martini, Pablo Schreiber, Toby Stephens. Directed by Michael Bay. Paramount Pictures (Paramount Pictures) 4 / 82 The mental states of four astronauts on a simulated mission begin to deteriorate when they lose contact with the rest of the world. With Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, Ben Feldman, Dane Cook, Tom Cavanagh, Grant Bowler. Written and directed by Matt Osterman. Syfy Films (Syfy Films) 5 / 82 Maggie Smith reprises her stage role as the title character who parks her vehicle in the driveway of a writer and remains for 15 years. With Alex Jennings, James Corden, Dominic Cooper. Written by Alan Bennett, from his play. Directed by Nicholas Hytner. Sony Pictures Classics (Nicola Dove / Sony Pictures Classics) 6 / 82 A young Philadelphia couple find their lives entwined with a secretive philanthropist. With Richard Gere, Dakota Fanning, Theo James, Cheryl Hines, Dylan Baker. Written and directed by Andrew Renzi. Samuel Goldwyn Films (Samuel Goldwyn Films) 7 / 82 Kevin Hart, left, and Ice Cube reunite in “Ride Along 2,” a sequel to their 2014 comedy. (Quantrell Colbert / Universal Pictures) 8 / 82 Donnie Yen returns as the real-life grandmaster who mentored Bruce Lee, this time taking on gangsters led by Mike Tyson. Directed by Wilson Yip. WellGo USA Entertainment (Ritchie B. Tongo / EPA) 9 / 82 A baby born to a human father and a monster queen is pursued by both mortals and creatures in this animated adventure from China. With Baihe Bai, Wu Jiang, Boran Jing, Eric Tsang, Wei Tang. Written by Alan Yuen. Directed by Raman Hui. FilmRise (Edko Films) 10 / 82 Big Pharma and its market techniques come under scrutiny in this documentary directed by Chris Bell. Samuel Goldwyn Films (Samuel Goldwyn Films) 11 / 82 Garret Hedlund and Oscar Isaac square off as an L.A. artist and the dangerous drifter who threatens to destroy his life. With Louise Bourgoin, Walton Goggins. Written and directed by William Monahan. A24 (Gregory C. Smith / A24) 12 / 82 In an English village, a young American woman is hired to care for an 8-year-old, who appears to be a life-sized doll. With Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans, Jim Norton, Diana Hardcastle, Ben Robson, James Russell. Written by Stacey Menear. Directed by William Brent Bell. STX Entertainment (STX Entertainment) 13 / 82 In 1985 Palo Alto, three fifth-graders navigate the treacherous world of preteen suburbia. With James Franco, Henry Hopper, Calum John, Alec Mansky and Everett Meckler. Written and directed by Gabrielle Demeestere. Monterey Media (Monterey Media) 14 / 82 Ambitious Zac Efron jeopardizes his upcoming marriage when he reluctantly takes troublemaking grandfather Robert De Niro to spring break in Florida. With Aubrey Plaza, Zoey Deutch, Julianne Hough, Jason Mantzoukas, Danny Glover, Adam Pally, Dermot Mulroney. Written by John Phillips. Directed by Dan Mazer. Lionsgate (Lionsgate) 15 / 82 Furry martial artist Po journeys with his long-lost father to a panda paradise where he must train his klutzy compadres to fight the evil Kai. Voices of Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, J.K. Simmons, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Kate Hudson, James Hong, Randall Duk Kim. Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson and Alessandro Carloni. DreamWorks Animation/20th Century Fox (DreamWorks Animation) 16 / 82 Marlon Wayans spoofs a certain insanely popular erotic BDSM romance. With Kali Hawk, Mike Epps, Jane Seymour, Affion Crockett, Florence Henderson, Fred Willard Written by Marlon Wayans and Rick Alvarez. Directed by Michael Tiddes. Open Road Films (Open Road Films) 17 / 82 In 1952, the Coast Guard attempts a daring rescue of an oil tanker during a fierce Nor’easter in the frigid Atlantic waters. With Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Holliday Grainger, John Ortiz, Eric Bana. Written by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson. Directed by Craig Gillespie. Walt Disney Pictures (Walt Disney Pictures) 18 / 82 A medical student and a womanizer unexpectedly fall in love, marry and settle down until one is forced to make the decision of a lifetime in this adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel. With Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, Maggie Grace. Written by Bryan Sipe. Directed by Ross Katz. Lionsgate (Dana Hawley / Lionsgate) 19 / 82 Four disgraced priests are exiled to a secluded house in Chile and tended to by a former nun while they atone for their sins. With Alfredo Castro, Roberto Farías, Antonia Zegers. Written by Guillermo Calderón, Daniel Villalobos, Pablo Larraín. Directed by Larraín. Music Box Films (Music Box Films) 20 / 82 Strange events befall a farmer and his family when they are banished to the edge of an ominous forest in 1630 New England. With Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie. Written and directed by Robert Eggers. A24 (Rafy / A24) 21 / 82 During a train ride from Tokyo to the country, a young woman wonders whether she has been true to her childhood self in this 25th-anniversary English language release of the celebrated animated film. Voices of Daisy Ridley, Dev Patel. Directed by Isao Takahata. GKids (© 1991 Hotaru Okamoto - Yuko Tone - GNH) 22 / 82 A rookie police officer throws a wrench into the heist plans of crooked cops in league with the Russian mob. With Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie. Written by Matt Cook. Directed by John Hillcoat. Open Road Films (Bob Mahoney / Open Road Films) 23 / 82 A 90-year-old Auschwitz survivor and his closest friend seek revenge on the German prison guard responsible for the deaths of their families 70 years earlier during World War II. With Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Dean Norris. Written by Benjamin August. Directed by Atom Egoyan. A24 (Sophie Giraud / A24) 24 / 82 Backlot comedy by the Coen brothers about a movie studio “fixer” during the twilight of Hollywood’s Golden Age. With Josh Brolin, George Clooney,Scarlett Johansson. Written and directed by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen. Universal Pictures (Universal Pictures) 25 / 82 Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein travels to Mexico in 1931 to make a movie and has life-changing experiences of sex and death. With Elmer Bäck, Luis Alberti, Maya Zapata. Written and directed by Peter Greenaway. Strand Releasing (Strand Releasing ) 26 / 82 Five tales set on a desert highway form this horror anthology from the filmmaking collective Radio Silence. With Kate Beahan, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Susan Burke. Directed by Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Patrick Horvath and Radio Silence. The Orchard (The Orchard) 27 / 82 Two sheepherding brothers in Iceland who haven’t spoken in 40 years fight to save their flocks and livelihoods from a deadly outbreak. With Charlotte Boving, Gudrun Sigurbjornsdottir, Jon Benonysson. Directed by Grímur Hákonarson. Cohen Media Group (Cohen Media Group) 28 / 82 The grieving widow of a well-known musician collaborates with a cocky New York writer on her husband’s biography. With Rebecca Hall, Jason Sudeikis, Dianna Agron. Written by Desi Van Til and Sean Mewshaw. Directed by Mewshaw. Starz Digital (Seacia Pavao / Starz Digital) 29 / 82 Jane Austen’s classic heroine Elizabeth Bennet is now an expert at martial arts and weaponry and must team with zombie killer Mr. Darcy to eradicate the undead. With Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston. Written and directed by Burr Steers, based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. Screen Gems (Jay Maidment / Sony Pictures Releasing) 30 / 82 A story about a beautiful street musician suffering from memory loss and a disheartened neuroscientist intent on helping her, bringing together New Orleans and the jazz that made it famous. With Aunjanue Ellis, Joaquim de Almeida, Bill Cobbs. Written by Richie Adams, Nicolas Bazan. Directed by Adams. Monterey Media (Una Vida Productions / Monterey Media) 31 / 82 Visiting on business for the first time, a Chinese American toy designer meets an American expat and they enjoy a romantic evening exploring the city’s street life. With Jamie Chung and Bryan Greenberg. Written and directed by Emily Ting. Gravitas Ventures (Gravitas Ventures) 32 / 82 Two bipolar poets drive each other to new extremes — both high and low. With Katie Holmes, Luke Kirby, Griffin Dunne. Written and directed by Paul Dalio. Roadside Attractions (Joey Kuhn / Roadside Attractions) 33 / 82 Director Michael Moore turns to Europe and elsewhere looking for ways to cure the U.S.’ most serious ills in this globe-trotting documentary. Distributed by Tom Quinn, Jason Janego, Tim League (Courtesy Dog Eat Dog Films) 34 / 82 Young unmarrieds in New York City navigate the complex intersections of love and sex. With Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Damon Wayans Jr. Written by Abby Kohn & Marc Silverstein and Dana Fox, screen story by Abby Kohn & Marc Silverstein. Directed by Christian Ditter. Warner Bros. (Barry Wetcher / Warner Bros.) 35 / 82 Rome orders a military tribune to investigate Jesus’ final weeks and quell a potential uprising in Jerusalem. With Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, Cliff Curtis. Written by Kevin Reynolds and Paul Aiello. Directed by Kevin Reynolds. Screen Gems (Rosie Collins / Sony Pictures Releasing) 36 / 82 Track star Jesse Owens competes in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, a living affront to Adolf Hitler’s ideas of Aryan supremacy. With Stephan James, Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons. Written by Joe Shrapnel and Anna Waterhouse. Directed by Stephen Hopkins. Focus Features (Focus Features ) 37 / 82 Animated musical based on the 1984 French Canadian film “La Guerre des Tuques” about children in a small town who pick sides for an epic snowball fight. With Sandra Oh, Ross Lynch, Angela Galuppo. Directed by Jean-François Pouliot; co-directed by François Brisson. Shout! Factory Films (Shout Factory) 38 / 82 Dense supermodels Derek Zoolander and Hansel McDonald return in this sequel to the 2001 high-fashion spoof. With Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell. Directed by Ben Stiller. Paramount Pictures (Philippe Antonello / Paramount Pictures) 39 / 82 Inspirational story of Eddie Edwards, the unlikely British ski jumper who captivated the world at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. With Taron Egerton, Christopher Walken and Hugh Jackman. Written by Sean Macaulay. Directed by Dexter Fletcher. 20th Century Fox (Larry Horricks / Twentieth Century Fox) 40 / 82 Follow-up to the Oscar-winning 2000 martial arts hit is another epic tale set in China’s Qing Dynasty. With Michelle Yeoh, Donnie Yen, Harry Shum Jr., Jason Scott Lee, Roger Yuan, Eugenia Yuan, Natasha Liu Bordizzo. Written by John Fusco. Directed by Yuen Woo-Ping. Netflix (Rico Torres / Netflix) 41 / 82 To save his true love, mortal hero Bek teams with god Horus to battle Set, the god of darkness, who illegitimately occupies the throne of Egypt. With Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Brenton Thwaites, Chadwick Boseman. Written by Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless. Directed by Alex Proyas. Summit Entertainment (Lionsgate) 42 / 82 Rookie cop Judy Hopps — a bunny — teams with slick con-artist fox Nick Wilde to solve a mystery in Disney’s 55th animated feature. Voices by Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Shakira, Idris Elba, J.K. Simmons, Nate Torrence, Jenny Slate, Tommy Chong, Octavia Spencer, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Alan Tudyk, Tommy “Tiny” Lister, Raymond Persi, Katie Lowes, Jesse Corti, John DiMaggio. Directed by Byron Howard, Rich Moore, co-directed by Jared Bush. Walt Disney Pictures (Walt Disney Pictures) 43 / 82 The funeral of the British prime minister is the target of terrorists in this sequel to the 2013 hit “Olympus Has Fallen.” With Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Alon Moni Aboutboul, Angela Bassett, Robert Forster, Jackie Earle Haley, Melissa Leo, Radha Mitchell, Sean O’Bryan, Charlotte Riley, Waleed Zuaiter. Written by Creighton Rothenberger & Katrin Benedikt and Christian Gudegast and Chad St. John. Directed by Babak Najafi. Gramercy Pictures (David Appleby / Gramercy Pictures) 44 / 82 Christian Bale stars as a Los Angeles screenwriter on the edge in writer-director Terrence Malick’s drama. With Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Brian Dennehy, Antonio Banderas, Wes Bentley, Isabel Lucas, Teresa Palmer, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Freida Pinto, Cherry Jones, Joe Manganiello, Haley Bennett, Imogen Poots, Ryan O’Neal, Joel Kinnaman, Jason Clarke, Shea Whigham, Jocelin Donahue, Sergey Bodrov, Nick Offerman, Ben Kingsley, Thomas Lennon. Broad Green Pictures (Melinda Sue Gordon / Broad Green Pictures) 45 / 82 Migrants are hunted by a gun-wielding psychopath along the U.S.-Mexico border. With Gael García Bernal, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Alondra Hidalgo. Written by Jonás Cuarón and Mateo García. Directed by Cuarón. STX Entertainment (Courtesy of STX Entertainment) 46 / 82 Sacha Baron Cohen plays a football hooligan in Northern England who sets out to find his sibling — they were adopted by different families — unaware he is now an MI6 agent. With Mark Strong, Isla Fisher, Rebel Wilson, Gabourey Sidibe, Penélope Cruz. Directed by Louis Leterrier. Columbia Pictures (Daniel Smith / Columbia Pictures) 47 / 82 The 7-year-old Jesus Christ and family discover the nature of his divine being. With Adam Greaves-Neal, Clive Russell, Vincent Walsh, Sara Lazzaro, Christian McKay and Sean Bean. Written by Betsy Giffen Nowrasteh & Cyrus Nowrasteh. Directed by Cyrus Nowrasteh. Focus Features (Focus Features) 48 / 82 Sally Field stars as a woman who experiences a late-in-life renaissance via a self-help seminar and a handsome new co-worker. With Max Greenfield, Beth Behrs, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Stephen Root, Elizabeth Reaser, Natasha Lyonne, Tyne Daly, Peter Gallagher. Written by Michael Showalter, Laura Terruso. Directed by Showalter. Roadside Attractions (Roadside Attractions) 49 / 82 A joint U.S.-British military operation to capture terrorists in Kenya using drones takes a potentially deadly turn. With Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi, Jeremy Northam, Iain Glen and Phoebe Fox. Written by Guy Hibbert. Directed by Gavin Hood. Bleecker Street (Bleecker Street) 50 / 82 Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold leads a gustatorial odyssey through Los Angeles in this documentary. Directed by Laura Gabbert. Sundance Selects (Sundance Selects) 51 / 82 Cousins battle an unnerving attraction to each other as they unravel the mystery at the heart of a family feud. With Joseph Cross, Adelaide Clemens, Deborah Ann Woll, Ricky Jay, Richard Schiff. Written by Justin Lerner, Katharine O’Brien. Directed by Lerner. Film Movement (Quyen Tran / Film Movement) 52 / 82 Working on a campaign for Augmented Reality glasses, a Brooklyn advertising executive blurs the lines of reality through his obsession with a friend’s girlfriend. With Benjamin Dickinson, Dan Gill, Alexia Rasmussen, Reggie Watts. Directed by Benjamin Dickinson. Magnolia Pictures/Amazon Studios (Magnolia Pictures/Amazon Studios) 53 / 82 The death of an old friend triggers an impromptu reunion of former high school classmates. With Kaley Cuoco, Sasha Pieterse, Cody Horn, Virginia Madsen, Landon Liboiron. Written and directed by Matthew McDuffie. Monterey Media (Best Possible Worlds, LLC. / Monterey Media) 54 / 82 After an accident, a young girl with an incurable disease experiences a reversal unexplainable by medical experts. With Jennifer Garner, Martin Henderson, John Carroll Lynch, Kylie Rogers, Eugenio Derbez, Queen Latifah. Written by Randy Brown. Directed by Patricia Riggen. Screen Gems (Screen Gems) 55 / 82 Michael Shannon stars as a father who takes his supernaturally empowered son on the run from religious zealots, law enforcement and the Feds. With Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaeden Lieberher, Bill Camp, Scott Haze, Paul Sparks, Sam Shepard. Written and directed by Jeff Nichols. Warner Bros. (Warner Bros.) 56 / 82 The 1943 allegorical novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in which the title character falls to Earth from an asteroid and encounters an aviator gets the animated feature treatment. Voices of Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Bud Cort, Marion Cotillard, Benicio Del Toro, James Franco, Ricky Gervais, Paul Giamatti, Riley Osborne, Albert Brooks, Mackenzie Foy. Directed by Mark Osborne. Paramount Pictures (Paramount Pictures) 57 / 82 Melissa Rauch co-wrote the screenplay and stars as a washed-up gymnast living off her laurels who is forced to coach a new local prodigy. With Rauch, Gary Cole, Haley Lu Richardson. Written by Rauch, Winston Rauch. Directed by Bryan Buckley. Sony Pictures Classics (Sony Pictures Classics) 58 / 82 Thanksgiving is the backdrop as a Texas woman returns home to the family she abandoned years earlier. With Krisha Fairchild, Robyn Fairchild, Bill Wise, Trey Edward Shults, Chris Doubek, Olivia Grace Applegate, Alex Dobrenko, Chase Joliet, Written and directed by Trey Edward Shults. A24 (A24) 59 / 82 In the final installment of the trilogy, Tris and Ford go beyond the walls enclosing Chicago and face shocking new discoveries. With Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Jeff Daniels, Octavia Spencer, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer, Daniel Dae Kim, Bill Skarsgård, Rebecca Pidgeon, Xander Berkeley, Keiynan Lonsdale, Jonny Weston, Nadia Hilker, Andy Bean, Naomi Watts. Written by Noah Oppenheim and Adam Cooper & Bill Collage and Stephen Chbosky, based on the novel by Veronica Roth. Directed by Robert Schwentke. Summit Entertainment (Summit Entertainment) 60 / 82 Tom Hiddleston stars as the tormented country legend Hank Williams, a leading singer-songwriter of the 1940s and ‘50s. With Elizabeth Olsen, Cherry Jones, Bradley Whitford, Maddie Hasson, Wrenn Schmidt. Written and directed by Marc Abraham. Sony Pictures Classics (Sony Pictures Classics) 61 / 82 Ben Affleck dons the cowl to take on Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel in the duo’s first big-screen pairing. With Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Gal Gadot, Scoot McNairy, Callan Mulvey, Tao Okamoto. Written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer. Directed by Zack Snyder. Warner Bros. (Warner Bros.) 62 / 82 A gay teen from California unearths family secrets when he attends a reunion in Nebraska. With Logan Miller, Robin Weigert, Josh Hamilton, Richard Schiff, Ursula Parker. Written and directed by Matt Sobel. Film Movement (Film Movement) 63 / 82 Julie Delpy wrote, directed and stars in this romantic comedy about a tightly wound French fashionista’s affair with a rural computer geek. With Dany Boon, Vincent Lacoste, Karin Viard. Co-written by Eugénie Grandval. FilmRise (FilmRise) 64 / 82 A soulless A&R man slashes his way through the London music scene in 1997. With Nicholas Hoult, James Corden, Craig Roberts, Rosanna Arquette, Ed Skrein, Georgia King. Directed by Owen Harris. WellGo USA Entertainment (WellGo USA Entertainment) 65 / 82 An Italian director juggles her mother’s illness, her daughter’s adolescence and a difficult American movie star. With Margherita Buy, John Turturro, Giulia Lazzarini. Directed by Nanni Moretti. Alchemy (Alchemy) 66 / 82 Nia Vardalos returns in this follow-up to the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time. With John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Gia Carides, Joey Fatone, Elena Kampouris, Alex Wolff, Louis Mandylor, Bess Meisler, Bruce Gray, Fiona Reid, Ian Gomez, Jayne Eastwood, Mark Margolis, Andrea Martin, Michael Constantine. Written by Vardalos. Directed by Kirk Jones. Universal Pictures (Universal Pictures) 67 / 82 A man in the near future who flees into the woods rather than be turned into an animal because he is single illegally falls in love with a fellow rebel. With Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Léa Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, John C. Reilly. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Alchemy (Alchemy) 68 / 82 The noted documentarian’s final film, a collaboration, focuses on the passengers of Amtrak’s Empire Builder route, stretching from Chicago to Seattle. Directed by Maysles, Lynn True, David Usui, Nelson Walker, Ben Wu. Al Jazeera America/Submarine Deluxe (Submarine Deluxe/Maysles Documen) 69 / 82 A manic woman (Anna Kendrick) has a killer new beau — a hitman who kills the people who hire him. With Sam Rockwell, Anson Mount, Tim Roth. Written by Max Landis. Directed by Paco Cabezas. Focus World (Focus World / Focus World) 70 / 82 Don Cheadle co-wrote, directed and stars as jazz legend Miles Davis. With Ewan McGregor, Emayatzy Corineadli, Lakeith Lee Stanfield, Michael Stuhlbarg. Co-written by Steven Baigelman. Sony Pictures Classics (Brian Douglas / Sony Pictures Classics) 71 / 82 In 1921 France, a wealthy woman pursues her passion for music despite an evident lack of talent. With Catherine Frot, André Marcon, Denis Mpunga. Directed by Xavier Giannoli. Cohen Media Group (Cohen Media Group) 72 / 82 Patrick Stewart stars as a sinister club owner who squares off against a hapless punk band after they witness a violent act backstage. With Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole, Callum Turner, Mark Webber. Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier. A24 (A24 / A24) 73 / 82 Maori speed-chess champion struggles with bipolar disorder as he endeavors to deter his young nephew from involvement in a street gang. With Cliff Curtis, James Rolleston, Sia Trokenheim. Written and directed by James Napier Robertson. Broad Green Pictures (Jen Raoult / Broad Green Picture) 74 / 82 Newly widowed investment banker Jake Gyllenhaal pursues a destructive path until customer service rep Naomi Watts takes an interest. With Chris Cooper, Judah Lewis. Written by Bryan Sipe. Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée. Fox Searchlight (Anne Marie Fox/ AMF Photography) 75 / 82 Comedy stars Melissa McCarthy as a high-profile businesswoman who is sent to prison for insider trading, then tries to rebuild her image. With Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage, Kathy Bates. Written by McCarthy & Ben Falcone & Steve Mallory. Directed by Falcone. Universal Pictures (Hopper Stone / Universal Pictures) 76 / 82 Writer-director Richard Linklater returns to the 1980s for this comedy about dazed-and-confused college baseball players. With Will Brittain, Zoey Deutch, Ryan Anthony Guzman, Tyler Hoechlin, Blake Jenner, James Quinton Johnson, Glen Powell, Wyatt Russell. Paramount Pictures (Van Redin / Paramount Pictures /Annapurna Pic) 77 / 82 British artist David Hockney is the subject of this documentary that details his early success in the 1960s, along his personal struggles and later triumphs. Directed by Randall Wright. Film Movement (Jean-Pierre Goncalves De Lima) 78 / 82 Queen Ravenna’s ice queen sister Freya returns home to avenge her sister’s death. With Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain, Nick Frost. Written by Evan Spiliotopoulos and Craig Mazin. Directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan. Universal Pictures (Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures) 79 / 82 A New Jersey mom (Susan Sarandon) relocates to L.A. to be close to her screenwriter daughter (Rose Byrne). With J.K. Simmons, Jerrod Carmichael, Cecily Strong, Lucy Punch, Casey Wilson, Jason Ritter, Sarah Baker, Michael McKean, Laura San Giacomo, Harry Hamlin. Written and directed by Lorene Scafaria. Sony Pictures Classics (Jaimie Trueblood / Sony Pictures Classics) 80 / 82 Adaptation of the faith-based nonfiction bestseller about a friendship between a wealthy art dealer and a down-on-his-luck sharecropper. With Greg Kinnear, Renee Zellweger, Djimon Hounsou, Jon Voight. Directed by Michael Carney. Paramount Pictures (Dale Robinette / Paramount Pictures) 81 / 82 Kentucky brothers are apathetic about the Civil War until an accident sends one fleeing into the night. With Tim Morton, David Maloney, Rachel Korine, Kate Lyn Sheil. Written by Kate Lyn Sheil and Zachary Treitz. Directed by Treitz. Film Movement (Brett Jutkiewicz / Film Movement) 82 / 82 Stimulant-addicted writer obsesses over a high-profile murder case, begins an affair with a reporter and clashes with his father over their dysfunctional past. With James Franco, Amber Heard, Ed Harris, Christian Slater, Cynthia Nixon. Written and directed by Pamela Romanowsky. A24 (Anna Kooris / A24)

Despite Eisenberg’s empathetic connection to Luthor, “Batman v Superman” director Zack Snyder originally approached the actor for another part in the film. Snyder won’t reveal that character. “Let’s call it a secret, but nevertheless it was the exact opposite of Lex Luthor,” Snyder said, taking a break on the phone from drawing “Justice League” Aquaman in his storyboards. After Eisenberg declined, Snyder went back and offered him something “cooler,” the role of Luthor.

“I feel like once [Eisenberg] found out who Lex was he embraced it,” Snyder said. “Once you kind of start digging into Lex, it’s a bit of a scary thing to be that guy. I don’t think he just goes ‘Oh, I’ll just be that guy and then when I go home I’m not him.’ I think the thing with Jesse is he wasn’t immune to the reality of playing a super-scary character.”


Twitter: @MdellW

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