Nicholas Hoult Reveals The One Bold Move That Landed His Superman Audition
Nicholas Hoult DM’d James Gunn to land a Superman audition — a bold swing that helped seal his Lex Luthor casting.
File this under: bold moves that actually pay off. Nicholas Hoult says his road to James Gunn's Superman started with a DM. Yes, really. And it ended with him as Lex Luthor, not the guy in the cape.
How Hoult got in the door
In the new making-of book 'Superman: The Art and Making of the Film,' Hoult explains that he bypassed the usual backchannels and sent James Gunn a direct message before casting was locked. At that point, the film was still in pre-production, with designs being hashed out, characters taking shape, and the team working through costume ideas, script tweaks, and concept art for David Corenswet's take on Superman and the rest of the lineup.
"It’s the first time I’ve done this - I slid into James’s DMs and I was like, 'Hey, excited to see what you’re cooking up over there. If there’s ever anything that I could be, you know, around for, let me know.'"
Hoult was aiming for the lead at first. That DM led to a formal audition process, including early screen tests and even trying on the Superman suit. Part of the appeal, he says, was simply getting a feel for working with Gunn and, yes, stepping into that suit at least once.
From cape to Lex
Eventually, Gunn called with a curveball: not Superman, but Lex Luthor. Hoult says he burst out laughing — the villainous kind — and admits that even while reading the script, he had a gut feeling he might fit better (and have more fun) as Lex.
"He was like, 'How would you feel about playing Lex Luthor?' I cackled. I did, I evilly cackled down the phone to him."
The book frames the switch as Gunn recognizing the right fit as the pieces fell into place. Hoult plays opposite Corenswet's Superman in the film, and the book also says he's set to be back for the sequel, titled 'Man of Tomorrow.'
The timeline, quick and clean
- Hoult DMs Gunn before casting is set, while the film is deep in pre-production.
- He auditions for Superman, including early suit tests.
- Gunn later offers him Lex Luthor instead; Hoult leans in hard.
- Hoult appears as Lex alongside David Corenswet's Superman.
- The making-of book says Hoult returns in the sequel 'Man of Tomorrow.'
Unconventional? Sure. But sometimes the most old-fashioned Hollywood move is the most modern one: just ask nicely, then crush the audition.