Rumor: WB WANTS JOAQUIN PHOENIX to play LEX LUTHOR

If this rumor holds, the Man of Steel franchise will continue assimilating a ridiculous quantity of talented actors into its corpus. WB apparently wants Joaquin Phoenix to play Lex Luthor, and I think that would be fucking awesome.

Although everyone from Bryan Cranston to Mark Strong to Idris Elba has been rumored to play the main antagonist in the “Man of Steel” sequel, Variety now reports Warner Bros. wants Joaquin Phoenix for the role widely believed to be Lex Luthor.

However, while citing those ubiquitous unnamed “sources,” the website notes that it’s still early in the process, and it’s unclear whether the three-time Oscar nominee would want to appear in such a big-budget production.

“Game of Thrones” alum Jason Momoa and “Zero Dark Thirty” actorCallan Mulvey recently have been reported in connection with villain roles in director Zack Snyder’s film, but it seems unlikely that either would be cast as Superman’s iconic arch-nemesis.

Phoenix, who can be seen now in Spike Jonze’s love story “Her,” was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance as the villainous Commodus in Ridley Scott’s 2000 historical drama “Gladiator.”

[CBR]

Phoenix has a killer range, proving more than once he can handle maniacal. Creepy. Sociopathic. So I’m sold. How about you folks?