# Batman vs Superman: Jesse Eisenberg is Lex Luthor & Jeremy Irons is Alfred **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222 "2014-01-31T18:35:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/1 "2014-01-31T18:35:27Z")
Jesse Eisenberg will play Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons is Alfred in _Batman vs Superman_. Really? I mean… WHAT. THE. FUCK. These choices don’t even make any sense. [http://www.movieweb.com/news/jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-and-jeremy-irons-is-alfred-in-batman-vs-superman](http://www.movieweb.com/news/jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-and-jeremy-irons-is-alfred-in-batman-vs-superman) > [@](#): > > **Zack Snyder on Jesse Eisenberg:** “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 exist, 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.” > [@](#): > > **Zack Snyder on Jeremy Irons:** “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.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/2 "2014-01-31T18:51:42Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Jesse Eisenberg will play Lex Luthor and Jeremy Irons is Alfred in _Batman vs Superman_. > > Really? I mean… WHAT. THE. FUCK. These choices don’t even make any sense. Eisenberg isn’t my idea of Lex Luthor, but what’s not to like about Jeremy Irons? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/3 "2014-01-31T18:53:19Z")
He seems too active to be Alfred. Especially the Alfred to an older, established Batman. I’d expect Jeremy Irons to play Commissioner Gordon, out there going toe-to-toe with The Joker, not sitting in Wayner Manor dusting the Batcomputer. ---
**Author:** ![Roundabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dec6dc/32.png) [@Roundabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roundabout)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/4 "2014-01-31T19:08:12Z")
If this film wasn’t already doomed… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/5 "2014-01-31T19:10:16Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > He seems too active to be Alfred. Especially the Alfred to an older, established Batman. I’d expect Jeremy Irons to play Commissioner Gordon, out there going toe-to-toe with The Joker, not sitting in Wayner Manor dusting the Batcomputer. Someone in another thread recently pointed out that we kinda sorta think of movie stars the way we remember ‘em, as the decades quietly pile up in the background; long story short, Irons is now _sixty-five,_ which is plenty older than even frickin’ _Alan Napier_ was back when; I don’t think he’s still up for swashbuckling as one of the Three Musketeers the way he did in his forties. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/6 "2014-01-31T19:12:07Z")
Wait, this movie is now officially a “versus”? That goes well for about one page of a comic book, before the characters realize they’re on the same side and team up. But a whole movie? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/7 "2014-01-31T19:12:49Z")
I don’t really have an opinion on Eisenberg one way or the other - I’ve only seen him in _Zombieland_. He certainly has the right look for Luthor, once you shave his head. I don’t really see the problem with Irons. He’s sixty five - how active do you expect him to be? ---
**Author:** ![nevadaexile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb8c5e/32.png) [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/8 "2014-01-31T19:15:35Z")
Irons is a good choice as he is at least a good actor. Eisenberg’s “range” (aside from _Zombieland_) is varying degrees of annoying. I don’t have high hopes for the project,especially in the wake of _Man of Steel_. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/9 "2014-01-31T19:15:42Z")
I think Jeremy Irons could be good. In my opinion, Eisenberg is much too young. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/10 "2014-01-31T19:18:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Wait, this movie is now officially a “versus”? That goes well for about one page of a comic book, before the characters realize they’re on the same side and team up. But a whole movie? The movie’s still officially untitled. Batman vs Superman is just a working title. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/11 "2014-01-31T19:18:35Z")
Irons has disappointed me in all of one film- Dungeons & Dragons. Considering that the script sucked, the director sucked and especially considering the high level of performance Irons usually gives, I’m more than willing to give him a chance. OTTOMH (Another geek will, I’m sure, correct me if I’m wrong) Alfred is a gentleman’s gentleman. Not quite concealed by his British reserve is a warmth and love for his friends and family. Buried so deep most people never know it’s there is that fact that Alfred was special forces in Her Majesty’s Army. If you hurt somebody close to him he is ready, willing and able to kill you. I think Jeremy Irons is very capable of showing all that. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/12 "2014-01-31T19:20:27Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > He seems too active to be Alfred. Especially the Alfred to an older, established Batman. I’d expect Jeremy Irons to play Commissioner Gordon, out there going toe-to-toe with The Joker, not sitting in Wayner Manor dusting the Batcomputer. In some (most?) continuities, Alfred is a former British spy or member of the British military. Though he’s often still presented as more docile, it’s still touched on in the best known continuities. In TDK, he references his time in Burma, and in the TAS episode The Lion and the Unicorn, he’s kidnapped by Red Claw because he holds some information left over from those days. So, I think it’s quite possible, and in fact likely, that they’ll perhaps play up that side of Alfred. After all, if Batman is going to compete with Superman, he’ll need all the help he can get, and I think playing up that aspect of Alfred’s character could help make Batman more of a badass. If this is the direction they’re going, and it is the one I think they should go, they could do a lot worse than someone like Jeremey Irons. I’m also of the opinion that, generally, it’s important to get some big name talent in critical supporting roles, especially if they can’t be in the role of the hero and/or villain. This is why getting the likes of Russell Crowe as Jor’El, Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, or in the Marvel world, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Samuel L Jackson as Nick Fury, etc. was important and worked well. Following in this, Alfred is the kind of character that I think really needs to have big name, top talent since he’s so pivotal to the Batman character, and I think Jeremy Irons is a name that fits that description. As for Jesse Eisenberg… I don’t see it, at all. I get wanting to get someone a little younger so he can play the role for a while. Yes, Lex Luthor doesn’t need to me, and maybe even shouldn’t be, physically imposing, but he needs to excude that cold, calculating, super-intelligent businessman, and I just don’t see that there. I could have seen some of the other rumors for the role working, but not this one. Before I get worked up though, does anyone know how reliable the sources are that are reporting all of this? There’s been TONS of rumors about castings for this film, many of which turned out to be false, so I’m going to be more skeptical any of these sorts of casting reports. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/13 "2014-01-31T19:21:34Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > I don’t really have an opinion on Eisenberg one way or the other - I’ve only seen him in _Zombieland_. I saw him in _The Social Network_ as Jeff Zuckerberg, so it’s hard to picture him as Lex Luthor. A super-rich evil genius? Come on! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/14 "2014-01-31T19:24:10Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > In some (most?) continuities, Alfred is a former British spy or member of the British military. Though he’s often still presented as more docile, it’s still touched on in the best known continuities. In TDK, he references his time in Burma, and in the TAS episode The Lion and the Unicorn, he’s kidnapped by Red Claw because he holds some information left over from those days. Plus, it’s been useful shorthand even with no specifics in the comics: _Alfred, who was in the military, knows how to handle a gun and can administer first aid._ ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/15 "2014-01-31T19:25:12Z")
So Alfred is going to be hawt. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/16 "2014-01-31T19:51:04Z")
> [@Blaster\_Master](#): > > Before I get worked up though, does anyone know how reliable the sources are that are reporting all of this? There’s been TONS of rumors about castings for this film, many of which turned out to be false, so I’m going to be more skeptical any of these sorts of casting reports. Did you click the link? This is no rumor, it’s an official announcement from Warner Bros. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/17 "2014-01-31T19:55:02Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > I think Jeremy Irons could be good. In my opinion, Eisenberg is much too young. Cavill and Eisenberg are the same age, just like Clark and Lex back when their origin stories had them growing up together. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/18 "2014-01-31T19:57:18Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Eisenberg is much too young. He’s the exact same age as Cavill/Superman. ---
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/19 "2014-01-31T20:04:04Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Did you click the link? This is no rumor, it’s an official announcement from Warner Bros. I couldn’t, it’s blocked at work. I searched and ready another article before I responded, but it didn’t mention the source. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222/20 "2014-01-31T20:16:06Z")
Lex Luthor should be physically intimidating as well. Not quite on par with Kingpin, but he should be pretty yolked. I could see Eisenberg playing an evil character, but he definitely doesn’t have it in the size department. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/batman-vs-superman-jesse-eisenberg-is-lex-luthor-jeremy-irons-is-alfred/680222.md?page=2)