Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice director Zack Snyder believes Lex Luthor had his father murdered. After successfully rebooting Superman with Man Of Steel, Warner Bros recruited Snyder to direct Batman V Superman, which paired the two legendary heroes together for the first time on the big screen. The movie would also kick off a series of DC Expanded Universe movies like Wonder Woman and Justice League, so it had a lot riding on its success.

While Batman V Superman was a box office success it didn’t quite hit the numbers the studio were hoping for. This was partly down to the negative critical reception and word of mouth it received, with the movie being bashed for its dark, humorless tone, choppy storyline and Jesse Eisenberg’s irritating performance as Lex Luthor. The response to the movie is said to have taken the studio by surprise, and made them worried about Snyder’s vision for the franchise. He was reportedly fired from Justice League after turning in his first cut, and it seems highly unlikely he’ll return for another DC film.

Despite the critical reaction, Batman V Superman still has plenty of fans, and in recent months Snyder has been actively interacting with them on his Vero social media account. He’s confirmed Easter eggs hidden in his DC movies and explained details like the subtext of Batman using a spear to fight Superman. He’s recently responded to a fan theory on Vero (via Digital Spy) regarding Lex killing his father Alexander - and confirmed it as correct.

Lex mentions his abusive father to Superman during the movie, and given his obsessions with gods and needing to be in control, it’s probably not a surprise Luthor had his father bumped off. Instead of going for a traditional portrayal of Luthor, Eisenberg turned Lex into a hyperactive rich kid with a huge superiority complex. While he was clearly having fun making the movie, many found his turn grating and reminiscent of a hammy, Joel Schumacher-era villain like Jim Carrey’s Riddler. The character’s reappearance during the post-credits scene of Justice League is much more subdued, hinting at a more traditional portrayal of Lex should he return for future movies.

Thanks to the reception of both Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice and Justice League, Warner Bros seem to be rethinking their approach to future DC movies. Sequels to their biggest hits like Wonder Woman are a given, while the one-off, R-rated Joker movie – that may or may not star Joaquin Phoenix – hints at a series of Elseworlds-style adventures. There’s also no word on a Justice League sequel, which may not happen for a while.

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Source: Zack Snyder (via Digital Spy)

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