Bryan Cranston comments on Lex Luthor role in 'Batman vs. Superman' movie

Bryan Cranston has been the leading choice of many fans to portray Lex Luthor on screen, in no small part because of his masterful work as a bald villain on Breaking Bad. So Cranston's name immediately sprung to mind when word surfaced that Superman's arch nemesis would feature in Zack Snyder's untitled Man of Steel sequel, currently known as Batman vs. Superman.

Of course, the role went to Jesse Eisenberg in a casting decision that did not sit well with many fans. But perhaps those fans will take some comfort in the fact that Cranston was never linked to the role at all in official capacity. The actor appeared on The Howard Stern Show on Tuesday and said that he would love to portray Lex Luthor, but he was never asked to do so for this movie.

"In the minds of fans, it's true. In the minds of the hierarchy of Warner Bros., it's not true," he said. "I was not involved in any of that whatsoever."

The hosts asked what effect (presumably on a scale of 1 to 10) such a role would have on his career, and Cranston responded, "A twenty. It's a life-changing role."

Snyder recently addressed the casting controversies in his film with Hero Complex at The Los Angeles Times and said the following:

"We know the material; unfortunately, the fans don't know the material," he replied when asked how surprised he was at the fans' response. "So, we're casting according to what's happening in the script. And we're hoping that leads to enough originality, enough perspective on what we're doing that you get something fresh and exciting. I understand the canon. I'm not crazy. I know what these characters need from a mythological standpoint. I think Jesse is going to be an amazing Lex. Let's not forget he was nominated for an Academy Award. It's not like I just grabbed my friend to play the guy! This guy's the real deal. By the way, in looking at all the talk-back, you can get all different perspectives in there too. Some people are hating to hate. Some people - someone did some fan art. And you look underneath and someone wrote, 'I guess I can see it.' Honestly, are you kidding me? Just stop it! It's reassuring and frustrating at the same time." 

Would you have liked to see Cranston play Lex Luthor? Let us know in the comments below.