Having starred in 2015’sMad Max: Fury Roadand variousX-Menmovies, Nicholas Hoult has had quite a commercially successful career thus far. Additionally, his roles in films likeThe MenuandThe Favouritehave earned him praise from critics.
While Hoult has found success, he was a supporting cast member in all of the previously mentioned movies. In recent years, it has been evident that the actor has been eager to take the leap into leading man status. Hoult auditioned to play the leading role in bothThe BatmanandSuperman: Legacyand was even one of the final contenders for both parts. However, both the highly-coveted roles managed to slip between his fingers, continuously setting the actor back in his career.
The (Not Dark Enough?) Knight
Back in 2019, when casting was still underway forThe Batman, Nicholas Hoult and Robert Pattinson were reportedly the two final contenders for the titular role. Unfortunately, after already losing out on a starring role inTop Gun: Maverick, Hoult did not land the role of the Dark Knight either. Of course, Pattinson took up the mantle of Bruce Wayne/Batman inMatt Reeve’s BatVerse.
While both films were originally intended to release earlier,The BatmanandTop Gun: Maverickboth hit theaters in 2022 and became two of the biggest movies of the year. If Hoult had starred in one or both of the spectacles that brought swarms of people back to the cinemas, it is likely he would be one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood right now.
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While he undoubtedly would have loved to portray the Caped Crusader, Hoult has since admitted that he wouldn’t have beenas good of a fitfor Reeves' Gotham City as Pattinson. He said,
“I think Matt Reeves' ideas were fantastic and he made a brilliant movie. And I also think that Rob [Pattinson] did an amazing job with the character, and I loved seeing him in it. So I don’t think I would have done as good a job as him ultimately. I don’t think I could have fit as well into the world that Matt created as Rob did.”
Well before Hoult was even being considered for the role of Batman, he had played Hank McCoy/Beast in Sony’sX-Menuniverse. Hank’s superhuman abilities make him quite different from Batman. However, it is possible his experience playing one of the X-Men’s most integral members would make Hoult an even better fit to play another DC superhero…
A Beacon of Hope
After losing out on several career-changing roles (Hoult landed a major part inMission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part Onebut was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts), there was finally some hope for the actor. Just years after almost landing the role of Batman, Hoult was a final contender to play Clark Kent/Superman in James Gunn’s new DC Universe.
As mentioned in the above quote, Hoult did not think he would fit into Reeve’s darker world as well as Pattinson. Therefore, if the actor was looking for something different, it is possible he would have been a great choice to showcasethe optimism of Superman.
In theX-Menfilms, Hoult’s Beast was always one of the characters who kept the team intact and fought for mutant rights. However, he did face struggles of his own. InFirst Class, specifically, Hank was actively trying to find a cure to get rid of his physical mutation, as he was ashamed of his monstrous appearance. However, by the end of the film, his fellow mutants, particularly Raven, convinced Hank to embrace that side of himself.
While Beast struggles with the supernatural side of himself, Superman, a Kryptonian by birth, struggles with his humanity. Just like Beast relies on Raven and the other X-Men to embrace his mutant form,Clark Kent relies on Lois Lane, along with Jonathan and Martha Kent, to remain connected to humanity. Therefore, as an inverse of hisX-Menrole, it would have been interesting to see Hoult portray an alien who is struggling to accept their newfound connection to humans.
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However, Hoult will not be the new Superman, with therole going to David Corenswetinstead. While this is yet another major loss for Hoult, the actor’s previous comments suggest that he will move forward with optimism and hope:
“When they tell you for the first time that it’s not you, it’s painful, but then you have to accept it as normality. I think that’s probably a strength of mine as an actor as well. I can accept that they didn’t cast me pretty well and when I see the chosen actor doing a great job, and I enjoy it, and it’s good, I’m like, ‘oh yeah, they made the right choice. They knew what they were doing.’ So it’s not like I’m sitting there like, ‘Oh, I’m not going to watch it now.'”
“You Either Die A Hero…”
While Hoult failed to land the part of Batman and Superman, it is possible a darker destiny is awaiting him. It has been reported that James Gunn was initially interested inHoult for the role of Lex Luthor, Superman’s arch-nemesis. However, at this time, it is unclear if the actor would want to continue to explore that role after not being picked to play the Man of Steel.
Regardless, Hoult’s performance as the lunatic Nux inMad Max: Fury Roadproves that he definitely has the ability to play a whacky and terrifying comic book villain. As Harvey Dent once said: “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Time will tell if Hoult will appear as Lex Luthor inSuperman: Legacy, set for a August 25, 2025 release date, or if he will play another character in the DCU further down the line.
