'Batman vs Superman Dawn of Justice' Release Date, Cast News: First Photo of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor Launched

The first image of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, the villain from "Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice," has just been released. He can be seen with an overall sinister demeanor, yet his eyes hint at a complex or even tormented character – a far cry from the usual characters that Eisenberg has essayed in the past.

Director Zack Snyder told Entertainment Weekly: "He's not any of the Lexes that you've seen, that's for sure."

Snyder promised a lot of realness from Superman's arch nemesis. "Our Lex is disarming and he's not fake," he said. "He says what he believes and he says what's on his mind. If you can unravel the string and decipher what he means, it's all there."

Eisenberg follows in the footsteps of some outstanding actors who have played Lex Luthor on both the big and small screen in the past.

Most notable Lex Luthors of the past are the following:

Lyle Talbot played Luthor in the 1950 "Atom Man Vs Superman" movie. He was the typical comic book-based Lex Luthor with the totally bald head and a sinister scowl. He used technology to even the odds with Superman.

Gene Hackman is perhaps the most quintessential cinematic Lex Luthor. He appeared in three out of the four classic Christopher Reeve "Superman" films. Hackman gave Luthor more flair and pizazz. He was sharp, witty, charming and very opportunistic.

Michael Rosenbaum played the young Lex Luthor in the very popular TV series "Smallville" and he gave the audience a different perspective of Luthor. In the show, Luthor becomes Clark Kent's best friend when that latter saved him from certain death. He is a good guy, young and quite handsome.

Kevin Spacey played Lex Luthor in the 2005 "Superman Returns," and although the movie did not do well as expected, Spacey played Luthor brilliantly. It was one of the darkest portrayals ever, yet still retaining the campy charm from Hackman's take of the character.

"Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" will be released on March 25, 2016.