The actor also shares what it was like auditioning for the highly anticipated superhero movie.

Nicholas Hoult is sharing some insight into his preparations to play Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s upcoming Superman.

The actor stopped by the Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast to chat about his acting career, including the highly-anticipated movie, which began production last week, per the director.

Hoult looked back at his time auditioning for the classic villain, saying Gunn has an “ability to keep things fun and alive and try things in the moment and be like, just shouting out from the monitors, ‘Say this line. Do this! Do that!’ And that’s something that I really enjoy. … That’s the whole process of prep for me is like, be prepared as possible so when you get there you can throw it all away and do whatever you want in the moment.”

As for the weeks leading up to filming, the Renfield actor also told the host that he began working out to play Lex.

“There’s that bit in All-Star Superman [comic book series] where he talks about his muscles being real and hard work and all that,” Hoult said. “I kind of took that as a little bit of fuel for the fire.” But he also noted that he doesn’t think the villain will have any shirtless scenes in the film.

Earlier in the podcast, Hoult revealed to Rosenbaum, who played a younger version of Lex on Smallville, that his iteration of the villain was the first time he saw Lex on screen.

“The first ever Lex I saw was you. Yeah, I grew up, Smallville was on,” the Warm Bodies actor said. “That was the show I would watch and see my first iterations of Superman and Lex and all those stories. I’ve since seen Richard Donner’s movies and all the other ones and kind of seen some of the other performances but you’re like the one. … It’s the best.”

At the end of February, Gunn shared a photo of the cast all together for the first time, noting that the image was taken after the first table read. Hoult appeared to be sporting a shaved head, gearing up to play Lex.

Gunn’s Superman, also starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, is set to be released on July 11, 2025. [Source]

Melissa Barrera (“Scream VI”), Nicholas Hoult (“The Menu”) and Lana Condor (“Moonshot”) headline the cast of “The One,” from writer-director team Kevin Armento and Jaki Bradley.

HanWay Films is handling worldwide sales, and will launch the film at the Cannes film market, with WME Independent and UTA co-repping the film for North America.

“The One” follows Taylor (Barrera), who’s made a last-ditch effort to find love by becoming a contestant on a reality dating show. Now down to just herself and two other women competing to win the heart of Mason (Hoult), Taylor begins to feel the artifice of the show fade, and the game becomes terrifyingly real. Amidst the opulent beachfront setting, fairy-tale dates, and ever-flowing champagne, pursuit turns into obsession and rivalry turns into treachery as reality itself blurs.

Hoult also produces alongside Whitaker Lader via their production company Dead Duck Films, which has a first-look TV deal with MRC TV and Civic Center Media. Riley Keough (“Daisy Jones & the Six”) will also produce with Gina Gammell via their production company Felix Culpa, following their directorial debut last year with “War Pony,” which won the Camera D’Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, and “Manodrome,” which premiered at Berlin International Film Festival.

Armento and Bradley said: “We’ve been dreaming up this project for years, and are thrilled to now bring it to life with our actual dream team. Nick, Melissa, Riley, and Lana are some of the most exciting talents around, and their passion for this film – shared by our incredible producing partners – has us even more eager to make this nightmare a reality.”

Hoult and Lader added: “We were immediately drawn to this project that we think will be equally appealing to reality TV junkies and those who think it is a scourge on humanity. Jaki and Kevin’s script and vision promise a wild and deliciously dark film that will make audiences cringe, laugh, and question their own complicity. We’re so excited to help bring it to life with this fantastic team.”
Continue reading  »

One of the hottest packages at the EFM has been taken off the table for international.

Sources tell Variety that Prime Video is close to snapping up multiple international rights, excluding the U.S., to Justin Kurzel’s “The Order,” which stars Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult in a story about the titular white supremacist organization that operated in the 1980s. The deal, which is in the eight-figure range, is believed to be in advanced negotiations.

The project is penned by Oscar- and BAFTA-nominated writer Zach Baylin (“King Richard”), who based the screenplay on Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt’s book “The Silent Brotherhood.” Published in 1989, the book details the activities of the radical-right hate group The Order, which was one of the most sinister organizations to emerge in America since the Ku Klux Klan.

In the film, Law plays a lone FBI agent stationed in Idaho who starts piecing together a pattern in a series of violent bank robberies, counterfeiting operations and armored car heists terrorizing communities across the Pacific Northwest. Rather than the work of a traditional organized crime unit, he believes a radical group, helmed by a charismatic leader (Hoult), is behind the devastation.

Director Kurzel is known for crime-centric pics, with his most recent film, “Nitram,” detailing the events leading up to the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania. His other credits include “True History of the Kelly Gang,” “Assassin’s Creed,” “Macbeth” and “Snowtown.”

Variety understands that “The Order” is one of many packages and films being pursued on the ground by Prime Video, which is out in full force at the European Film Market despite some uncertainty about how much of a showing the streamers would have in Berlin. Earlier in the week, the streamer also bought Zoe Saldaña and AGBO’s action-survival movie “The Bluff” for international, as revealed by Deadline.

Dealmaking on the ground has so far been quiet, but buyers and sellers entered this year’s EFM — the first in-person market in Berlin since 2020 — with enthusiasm, encouraged by a healthy roster of scripts and packages hitting the market. There have been questions, however, about the extent of dealmaking from the streamers, which only dished out on a few titles at last month’s Sundance.

AGC Studios, which is financing and producing “The Order,” sold international, while CAA Media Finance and UTA Independent Film Group are co-representing North America. Production will begin in May in Alberta, Canada.

The Berlinale kicked off on Feb. 16 and runs through to Feb. 26. [Source]

As he drove toward the Sonoma Raceway in a $275,000 Ferrari Roma, Nicholas Hoult was becoming increasingly nervous. “I’ve loved car racing since I was a kid, so the opportunity to actually do it, I would be absolutely insane to pass up,” the 32-year-old actor said, his sharp blue eyes widening behind oversized Fendi tortoiseshell sunglasses. “But it’s also terrifying. I think it’s always good to get yourself outside of your comfort zone.” 

Hoult has had to drive on-screen many times before, in The Young Ones, in Collide, and most notably in Mad Max: Fury Road. But he has recently been prepping for a more difficult real-life role behind the wheel. He’s been training with Ferrari to potentially join their Challenge Series, a program of races the Italian supercar brand sponsors for owners of its cars.

Hoult drives an electric Jaguar I-Pace in Los Angeles and a motorcycle when in London, and doesn’t own a Ferrari. But, working in concert with the brand, he has attended Ferrari-sponsored driving courses over the past few years, driving a track-only, 670 hp Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo at private circuits in Florida and California and even on the Formula One course in Austin, Texas. The weekend, when The Hollywood Reporter rode shotgun with him, it was his first time on the track without an instructor, and with other cars racing around him.
Continue reading  »

Nicholas Hoult is in negotiations to join the ensemble of Robet Eggers next pic, Nosferatu, which Focus Features is producing. Bill Skarsgard is attached to play the titular character, with Lily-Rose Depp also in talks to star. Eggers is directing and penning the script. Jeff Robinov, John Graham, Robert Eggers, Chris Columbus and Eleanor Columbus are producing.

In the new reimagining, Nosferatu is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman (Depp) in 19th century Germany and the ancient Transylvanian vampire (Skarsgard) who stalks her, bringing untold horror with him. Focus had no comment on the project.

It is unknown who Hoult would be playing.

The film has been a passion project of Eggers’ for years and came close to coming together in 2019 with Anya Taylor-Joy and Harry Styles at Studio 8. The film was put on pause as Studio 8 figured out a budget and talent schedules. Eggers ultimately pushed pause on the movie and moved on to his Viking pic The Northman, which bowed in April.

After The Northman, Eggers started looking at other projects but always had his eye on coming back to the gothic tale. Once Focus came aboard, he officially made Nosferatu his next film and began meeting with talent with Hoult being one of his top choices to join the film.

Hoult, who is coming off an Emmy nomination for his role as Peter III of Russia on Hulu’s The Great, has a busy year in front of him starting with the Searchlight comedy The Menu. The pic, which also stars Anya Taylor-Joy, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and will hit theaters in November. In 2023, besides returning to reprise his role in The Great, which will air its third season on Hulu, he is also set to star in Renfield playing Dracula’s infamous henchman. The Count will be played by Nicolas Cage, and the pic is set to bow in April.

He is repped by UTA, 42 and Felker Toczek. [Source]