Since the Wonder Woman casting news earlier this month, there have been a lot of names thrown around for "Batman/Superman" movie villain.
The latest one is that Joaquin Phoenix is in talks to play Lex Luthor— one of the Man of Steel's main rivals.
Luthor isn't confirmed as the main villain in the sequel yet — though hints in the first film make his entrance seemingly inevitable.
Though Phoenix looks like a frontrunner, he's not the only person rumored for the part.
Luthor also isn't the only antagonist people are speculating about.
We wouldn't be surprised if there was another villain also introduced in the sequel.
Joaquin Phoenix as Lex Luthor
Let's start with the obvious.
Variety broke the news saying Warner Bros. is looking at the Academy Award winner after his performance in "Her."
Not convinced he could play the head of LexCorp? We weren't at first either as this ubiquitous interview with David Letterman came to mind, but then we remembered him as treacherousCommodus in "Gladiator."
We can get behind this.
Jason Mamoa as a villain (or a good guy?)
The former "Game of Thrones" star's name has been thrown around for an unspecified role.
Rumors have him pegged for a few roles— Superman nemesis Doomsday (who has appeared as a villain for both the Bat and Man of Steel in the past, sometimestogether) — or a possible ally in the Martian Manhunter.
However, with casting of Wonder Woman and rumors of the Flash making an appearance, it seems a little too soon to be throwing this many heroes into the mix.
Our take: Doomsday seems more logical. And it appears from an extra found on the "Man of Steel" Blu-ray— a Kryptonian sequence translated to "Beware Bertron’s curse, for he is named Doomsday"— that Warner Bros. could introduce him in the future.
Callan Mulvey as an unnamed villain
Again Variety hinted the "Zero Dark Thirty" actor was being looked at to play a nemesis for the Batman / Superman duo.
Whether or not that villain is Lex, Mulvey has the appeal of a younger, brash hot shot Luthor looks wise. If Warners is planning to give the character an older classic feel, than Phoenix makes much more sense.
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