‘Superman & Batman’ movie will follow ‘Man of Steel’

[Greg Cox]

It does seem sometimes that the internet tends to fixate on superficial physical details that are easily addressed by hair, makeup, etc.

If the original comic-book character is usually drawn with red hair and a mustache, fans immediately zero in on the most famous actor with red hair and a mustache, to the exclusion of other, equally suitable actors. Ditto for height, nationality, etc.

The whole acting/artiface thing tends to get lost in the shuffle.

 

[Agent Richard07]

The opposite also happens. Sometimes they cast someone who isn't appropriate for the part just because they're a big name.

 

[Christopher]

If the original comic-book character is usually drawn with red hair and a mustache, fans immediately zero in on the most famous actor with red hair and a mustache, to the exclusion of other, equally suitable actors. Ditto for height, nationality, etc.

Although sometimes it works out perfectly. Probably everyone who was a fan of both ST:TNG and the X-Men pegged Patrick Stewart as the ideal Professor X ages before it actually happened. A college friend and I had that conversation sometime around 1989, I think.

(Although Xavier's look was actually modeled on Yul Brynner.)

 

[Greg Cox]

The opposite also happens. Sometimes they cast someone who isn't appropriate for the part just because they're a big name.

Depend of which "they" you're talking about. The internet often gets hung up on superficial physical characteristics. The studios may want a big name.

Ideally, the director wants somebody who will do a great job, which often means thinking outside the box.

 

[Aragorn]

I doubt many people would have been clamoring for Bryan Cranston if he'd never shaved his head for Breaking Bad.

For me, it's not the shaving of the head, it's that he's a really good actor with a tremendous range.

Something, honestly, I have yet to see from Eisenberg.

There are a lot of really good actors with tremendous range. Not many of them have recently starred in a critically acclaimed show playing a morally ambiguous character with their head shaved.

People would've flipped out if "the dad from Malcolm in the Middle" was cast as Lex Luthor in Superman Returns.

Damnit! Out of My Vulcan Mind already said that!!!

 

[Dream]

People would've flipped out if "the dad from Malcolm in the Middle" was cast as Lex Luthor in Superman Returns.

They just cast him as a murderous drug dealer instead!

 

[Ovation]

People would've flipped out if "the dad from Malcolm in the Middle" was cast as Lex Luthor in Superman Returns.

They just cast him as a murderous drug dealer instead!

Even that probably wouldn't have worked if Season Five Walter was in the first episode of Season One. Part of what makes Walter work is the deliberate story arc of taking an ordinary, reasonably nice guy (basically a less funny version of Malcolm's dad) and turning him into "the murderous drug dealer".

 

[theenglish]

This discussion reminded me of when my girlfriend took me to see this film called Die Hard. I was in line for the film making fun of the guy from Moonlighting trying to become an action movie hero.

 

[ClayinCA]

(Although Xavier's look was actually modeled on Yul Brynner.)

He might have been difficult to get.

 

[theenglish]

(Although Xavier's look was actually modeled on Yul Brynner.)

He might have been difficult to get.

Was I the only one thinking that Stewart may have been a little too old for the role? This was a time before the Ultimate X-Men came along.

 

[Guy Gardener]

He was the old man who stayed on the ship.

Perfect age.

Because Riker was the Kirk-like hero running about saving the day and stealing the alien captain's grlfriend.

 

[sojourner]

Dammit to hell!

 

[M.A.C.O.]

It's possibly worth noting that, even in the comics, Luthor has been reinvented more than once. I'm old enough to remember when Lex was an evil scientist in a gray prison jumpsuit, before he became a physical threat in green-and-purple battle armor, before he was remade as a ruthless tycoon and future President . . ..

^ OMG THAT JUMPSUIT . Batman the Brave and the Bold did a homage to the Silver Age version of the Superman character in the season 3 episode "Battle of the Superheroes". Luthor isn't in it for very long. Here are the clips.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6f6DpWjjw[/yt]
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0g4-QKJd8c[/yt]

 

[M.A.C.O.]

*GASP*

 

[SalvorHardin]

Nice fan made poster of a bald Eisenberg Luthor

 

[Captaindemotion]

^Pretty good work.

 

[Agent Richard07]

He's totally unrecognizable and looks pretty menacing.

 

[davejames]

Wow, that's definitely a cool look. Here's hoping that's the way they go for the movie.

 

[JD]

Wow, that was pretty impressive.

 

[Captaindemotion]

This is interesting (I think). Hollywood Reporter is saying that the rumoured Joaquin Phoenix and Adam Driver (who was supposed to be up for Dick Grayson) were offered the role of Lex before Eisenberg.

http://m.hollywoodreporter.com/entry/view/id/35031

Also, while I don't have a link to hand, Latino Review purports to have some spoilerish details on the Bruce Wayne-Lex Luthor relationship and the way in which they contrast and how they each view Superman's arrival and what he represents.