James Gunn's Superman introduced a brand-new version of Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult. The actor offered a new spin on the character, presenting him as arguably much more ruthless than previous iterations. Luthor was also at the center of perhaps Superman's most shocking moment. Having captured and thrown Clark into his dimensional prison, the billionaire kidnapped a man named Malik Ali (Dinesh Thyagarajan), who had helped the Big Blue Boy Scout during his battle against Ultraman.
In retaliation for being kind to the hero, Lex played Russian roulette with him and ultimately shot him in the head in front of the Man of Steel. It was a terrifying moment in what had, up until that point, been a fully family friendly film, which further established Hoult's Luthor as someone not to be trifled with. Superman is the centerpiece of DC Studios, which means it's been featured in many different markets. Now, the movie has made its way into video games.
Injustice 2 Mobile recently announced that Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor has joined its extensive roster of playable characters. The baddie can be unlocked for free via the game's login calendar, from December 15 to December 23.
The villain also includes the addition of his Raptors as allies, the paramilitary force used by him throughout the film. In the spotlight video released for the character, he uses a gun, referencing Ali's aforementioned murder. It's a cold nod, but considering the intense violence everyone in the game pulls off, it makes sense to have included it.
The DCU's Luthor joins David Corenswet's Superman, who was added to the game in July of 2025 to coincide with the theatrical release of Superman:
Lex may feel like a fast addition to Injustice 2, but as hard as it may be to believe, it's actually been five months since Superman landed in theaters—quite a long time, and more than enough to put the character in a game. Fans of the movie will also be given the chance to battle the Kryptonian-obsessed businessman in the Arena Invasion mode:
Speaking to GQ in 2025, Hoult was asked about his experience portraying Lex Luthor when he has been typically associated with good guys. He stated the following: "I do really enjoy it. I suppose there's a freedom in playing a villain because there's nothing you can do that could be wrong. It's really interesting to try and get into the mindset and psyche of those people and their obsessive nature and their belief system or ideology."
The actor also spoke fondly about working with James Gunn, and expressed excitement over getting to reprise the role of Lex for Man of Tomorrow: "Also, I loved working with James Gunn. I think he's a wonderful director and creative person and mind. I just spoke to him a week or two ago about the sequel and his idea for that. So I'm really excited to play that character again because I feel like there's a lot to explore with him and expectations to subvert. It's going to be exciting to step back into those shoes again."
In case you want to have Hoult's Lex pitted against his live-action nemesis and give their live-action final battle a different outcome, now you can do it in game form. Yay for interactive entertainment!
Nicholas Hoult will return as Lex Luthor in Man of Tomorrow, arriving in theaters on July 9, 2027.
What do you think about Hoult's Lex being added to Injustice 2 Mobile? Does that motivate you to play the game? Let me know in the comments!