Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Lex Luthor, Superman's arch-nemesis, in the upcoming Batman/Superman film, Warner Bros. announced on Friday (31st January).

Jesse Eisenberg
Jesse Eisenberg has been cast as Lex Luthor.

Eisenberg, who is best known for his roles in The Social Network, Zombieland and The Hunting Party, has joined an already star-studded cast. Ben Affleck and Jeremy Irons, in addition to Henry Cavill as Superman, will play Batman and his loyal butler, Alfred, as Deadline reports. 

Eisenberg's trademark curly locks may have to be chopped off for the role as the bald evil genius, Luthor. He is also not known for playing villains but instead plays mild mannered and gentle characters. His role as Luthor will certainly be a change and director Zack Snyder referenced this in the statement which accompanied news of his release. 

Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons will play Batman's butler Alfred in the upcoming Superman/Batman film.

The statement read: "Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman's rivals, his unsavoury reputation preceding him since 1940. What's great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He's a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions."

Lex Luthor has previosuly been played by a number of actors including Kevin Spacey and Gene Hackman and has been a prominent figure in DC Comics since 1940.

Although the Batman/Superman mash up is yet untitled, a release date has been set, albeit later than initially expected, May 6th 2016. Some filming has already begun but as casting has only recently been completed, there's still a long way to go before the production is up and running completely. 

Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck will play Batman in the 2016 film.