BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN casts Lex Luthor and Alfred

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Eisenberg and Irons secure iconic roles for Batman vs. Superman

Well, this is interesting. That mean-looking mug above is Jesse Eisenberg (Zombieland, The Social Network), and in a move that no one saw coming Zack Snyder has officially cast the actor as Lex Luthor in the upcoming Batman vs. Superman movie. Looks like Snyder isn’t done stirring the pot of his Ben Affleck-starring Superman sequel. Additionally, the director also announced who’ll be butlering for Bruce Wayne in the new movie.

Find out who’s playing Alfred, and read what Snyder had to say about the new cast members, after the jump!

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Jeremy Irons (The Lion King, Die Hard: With a Vengeance) has signed on as Alfred, adding to the arguably “out there” casting for Batman vs. Superman.

Here’s what Snyder says about casting Irons as Batman’s butler:

“As everyone knows, Alfred is Bruce Wayne’s most trusted friend, ally and mentor, a noble guardian and father figure. He is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman. It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious façade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne.”

And here’s a little light shed on the choice of Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, also from Snyder:

“Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman’s rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940. What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions.”

Only time will tell just how well Batman vs. Superman will be received, but so far almost all news surrounding the sequel has been…interesting…to say the least.

The movie will see the return of Henry Cavill as Superman and his Daily Planet counterparts Amy Adams (Lois Lane) and Laurence Fishburne (Perry White), as well as Diane Lane (Ma Kent). We’ll also get to see Gal Gadot playing Wonder Woman, which has been another surprising piece of the puzzle. Superman vs. Batman is currently scheduled for a May 2016 release.

Source: Collider