Jesse Eisenberg talks Batman v Superman criticism: 'Hurt my career in a real way'
Jesse Eisenberg opened up about the fallout from the reception of Batman v Superman reflecting on how the criticism affected his career.
Dec 22, 2024
Jesse Eisenberg in a still from Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Jesse Eisenberg is reflecting on his time as Lex Luthor. The actor discussed the poorly received Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and his performance as Superman's foe on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert podcast.
Jesse Eisenberg acknowledges the negative reception of Batman v Superman
Eisenberg stated that people didn't like the Batman film he was in, and they also didn't like him. The actor has never admitted this publicly before, and it's embarrassing, but he strongly believes that the negative reception he received had a significant impact on his career.
He added that in the industry if a person is perceived negatively in a large-scale movie, those who choose the next cast member for their project will likely not choose them.
Jesse Eisenberg's views on underappreciated films and negative publicity
Eisenberg, who received an Oscar nomination for his role in The Social Network went on to say that, despite his numerous hits, he has starred in underappreciated films that are still mostly unknown.
However, he clarified that he was unaware of the negative response because it received so much publicity, and he typically doesn't read news articles, reviews, or the movie press.
Eisenberg said, reiterating his fondness for the part despite the criticism that he loved the movie, doing it, and everything. Therefore, the actor holds just himself responsible. They didn't do anything wrong, anyway. He contemplates where he made a mistake, and he feels compelled to start over.
Jesse Eisenberg discusses personal struggles with depression
Although it was discouraging, it's important to remember that the actor deals with depression on a daily basis. He is making it clear that he had this incredible opportunity. Obviously, things went wrong; negativity alone.
Zack Snyder's 2016 film, starring Ben Affleck as Batman and Henry Cavill as Superman, garnered over $873 million in global revenue. Despite the film's lacklustre reception, it managed to rake in four Razzie Awards—one each for leads Affleck and Cavill (for the worst onscreen pairing) and for Eisenberg (for the worst supporting actor), who played Lex Luthor.
Zack Snyder addresses rumours about alternative casting for Lex Luthor
Snyder's interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast raised the question of whether the studio desired Tom Hanks or Adam Driver to portray the villain Lex Luthor.
In response to the rumors surrounding the cast members, he stated that he believes he did speak with Adam over the phone. The filmmaker had a conversation with Leonardo DiCaprio about it, and he actually came up with a lot of brilliant ideas during their meeting.
DiCaprio finally said something along the lines of, "Eh, I don't know." However, the actor exhibited remarkable intelligence regarding both the subject matter and the character. It seems likely that DiCaprio was the one who first brought up the idea of Superman going up against the Justice League with Snyder.
Even though the film had a lot of editorial negativity, Affleck has been vocal about his feelings toward it, saying that he loved it and that it was his career's biggest hit. In a 2016 interview, he stated that the movie's tone, not its execution, determined its reception.
Streaming availability
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is available to stream on JioCinema (OTTplay Premium) and Prime Video.
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