Superman is the most powerful superhero in DC Comics, able to go toe to toe with its most powerful villains, like Darkseid and Brainiac. That’s why it’s surprising that his nemesis is Lex Luthor, a man without any superpowers.

Hoult’s performance has been compared to Clancy Brown’s iconic voice work in Superman: The Animated Series. His Luthor is cold, intelligent, and calculating—a true mastermind. Meenan praises Hoult for delivering a villain with real menace through calm intensity, never overplaying the role.