Bryan Cranston: ‘Man Of Steel’ Lex Luthor Rumor ‘Is All News To Me’
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston said he has heard the rumors that he has been cast as Lex Luthor in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel. But as far as him playing the villain in multiple movies, he said that was new information.
When asked by the Boston Globe if he had heard rumors that he could play Lex Luthor for six movies, Cranston said, “Six? This is all news to me.”
The 57-year-old added, “I think that maybe my name is bandied about because I’m known to be bald. ‘What bald guy can we get?’ The reality is they can take any actor and shave his head or put a bald cap on him.”
If, however, Cranston were asked to play Superman’s archnemesis, he joked that he wouldn’t be able to go to Gene Hackman — who played Lex Luthor in Superman and Superman II — for advice.
“I can just see how that phone call would go, ‘Gene? Hi, this is Bryan Cranston.’ ‘Who? Bryan Cranston? What do you want? How did you get this number,'” he said.
One casting that is confirmed for the Man of Steel sequel is Ben Affleck as Batman. News of Affleck’s casting was met with heavy criticism, with most detractors citing his previous turn as a superhero. However, Affleck has also had his share of supporters, including friend Kevin Smith. The Jay & Silent Bob director said Affleck “has loved Batman going as far back” as he could remember, and that he only took the lead in Daredevil because he didn’t think there would be another Batman movie.
“He only did Daredevil because he loved Frank Miller’s (graphic novel) Dark Knight Returns. He’s like, ‘They’re never going to make another Batman,’ because this was after Batman had nipples,” Smith said. “So he was like, ‘Daredevil’s cool, and Miller wrote him as well’. So he liked the character, but it was always rooted in Batman.”
Bryan Cranston is currently preparing to play Lyndon B. Johnson in the play All the Way, which begins previews at the American Repertory Theater on September 13. He’ll also be directing an episode of ABC’s Modern Family. But after that, he said he’ll probably take a break for the next couple of months.
“I think I’ll relax the rest of the year,” Cranston said. “There’s some irons in the fire, things that people are talking about, but nothing is set.”
[Photo credit: Jaguar PS / Shutterstock.com]
