Superman Fans Can't Stop Comparing Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor Look To Another Character

James Gunn told everyone to look up, but it's best to look straight ahead at the screen because that's where the teaser trailer for "Superman" can be viewed. While everyone thought it would be a sleepy December without any film news to speak of, Gunn delivered an early Christmas gift by debuting the first live-action footage of the upcoming DC film.

Not only did it show us David Corenswet's Superman movie suit in all its red and blue glory — proving once again that no one should trust the quality of leaked set photos by Machiavellian internet trolls — but it also gave us the first glimpse of Nicholas Hoult as Supes' biggest baddie, Lex Luthor. 

Hoult boasts a beautiful chromedome to make Michael Rosenbaum's Lex from "Smallville" proud; however, social media users think this Lex looks like another surprising character altogether. But hey, that seems to be a trend, since some people have also compared Nathan Fillion's bad boy Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, to Uncle Fester from "The Addams Family" and Lloyd Christmas from "Dumb and Dumber."

In one of the scenes from the "Superman" teaser trailer, Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor grabs a hold of a nifty silver pistol. Since he's dressed to the nines, he comes across more like a sophisticated hitman than a megalomaniac mogul who hates Kryptonians more than pineapple on pizza. Social media users couldn't help but pick up strong Agent 47 vibes from Hoult's Lex here — especially since he does possess a striking resemblance to Rupert Friend's version of the character from 2015's "Hitman: Agent 47."

One X commentator wrote, "Is this Lex Luthor or the Hitman?" Once others saw it, they couldn't unsee it either. Artist BossLogic got in on the fun too, as he mocked up a quick poster with the "Hitman" logo on it. Even PlayStation U.K. responded to the quickly spreading memes, posting on X: "Good evening 47. Your next target resides alone in an isolated fortress." Needless to say, it's moments like these that make us delighted that the internet is free.

Jokes aside, the image of a suave Hoult holding the gun might inspire someone to cast him as Agent 47 in a live-action project. Reportedly, there's a "Hitman" series in the works from the creator of "John Wick," so never say never to this casting happening.

At the "Superman" trailer premiere event (via Entertainment Weekly), Nicholas Hoult opened up more about his version of Lex Luthor and how he challenges the Man of Steel. He said, "This Lex is obviously smart and ruthless, and he has to outmaneuver Superman on certain levels because he can't match him on others."

Hoult elaborated that Lex believes his way of viewing the world is right and that's why he behaves the way he does. "There's also something about this character, hopefully from my standpoint, where even though you perhaps don't agree with his process," Hoult said, "there's an element where you can understand on some levels where he's coming from and why perhaps what he's pushing as his ideology is perhaps better for humanity."

Fortunately, fans don't have to wait too long to see Hoult's Lex face off against David Corenswet's Man of Steel. "Superman" soars into theaters on July 11, 2025.