DC Studios chief James Gunn debunked another DCU casting rumor about Lex Luthor that involves Daniel Craig.

Gunn previously teased that the portrayal of the DCU’s Lex Luthor will be “grounded and real” while also pointing out that he “never said” that there’s a version of the villain in Superman: Legacy. 

Still, this didn’t stop the fan-casting train for Luthor.

While some have campaigned for Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston to play the iconic Superman villain, the actor dismissed those fancasts by noting that he felt that it was just simply “lazy casting.”

James Gunn Responds to New Lex Luthor Rumor

Giant Freakin’ Robot (GFR) shared that its trusted and proven sources claimed that “DC Studios has officially offered Daniel Craig the role of Lex Luthor” in Superman: Legacy. 

Daniel Craig is best known for his role as James Bond in several 007 movies and for portraying detective Benoit Blanc in Knives Out and Glass Onion. 

However, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn responded to the news on Threads by bluntly saying, “That is not true.”

Lex Luthor has been making headlines in the past months after a rumor noted that Gunn is looking for an actor to replace Jesse Eisenberg as the new Superman foe in the upcoming reboot. 

In April, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) shared that X-Men: First Class and Warm Bodies star Nicholas Hoult is reportedly the top choice to portray the Superman villain in the DCU.  

However, in June, THR reported that the studio had a “shortlist” of actors for Lex Luthor for the DC reboot. Aside from Hoult, Alexander Skarsgard (True Blood) and Bill Skarsgard (IT, IT Chapter 2) were also in the running for the role.

Is Daniel Craig a Good Fit for the DCU?

Although James Gunn debunked the latest DC scoop about Daniel Craig’s supposed involvement as Lex Luthor, the former James Bond actor could still have a place in the new DCU. 

Craig’s talent is undeniable and there’s a good chance that he could be an asset to what Gunn is building under the DC banner. 

Considering DC’s vast library of heroes and villains, there are a lot of characters that Craig can portray if he’s willing to join the expansive superhero franchise. 

In fact, in March 2020, the Knives Out lead star pointed out to Saga Magazine, via CBR, that one of his dreams is to portray Superman: 

“I dreamed of being all sorts of other things – Superman, Spider-Man, the Invisible Man, even a good old-fashioned cowboy. But Bond not so much, which seems ironic now.”

If given the right opportunity anchored by Gunn’s vision, Craig could end up being one of the new recruits of the DC reboot in the future. 

As for the identity of the next Lex Luthor actor, the fact that DC Studios already has a shortlist could hint that an announcement could be made soon. 

Superman: Legacy is set to premiere in theaters on July 11, 2025.

The Bear separates itself from other dramas with its fast pacing, gripping performances, and peculiar setting of a small sandwich shop in Chicago. Although technically a drama, the explosive rhythm, and intensity give an adrenaline rush similar to an action film. The pacing here is reminiscent of the feeling throughout the Safdie brothers’ Uncut Gems or Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash. Comparatively, the shorter episodic medium of the series makes the narrative a little less exhaustive than a feature-length film while still giving the viewer the ability to binge-watch if so inclined.

Update July 16, 2023: This article has been updated following season 2 of The Bear and the series being nominated for 13 Emmy nominations.

The series has a lot going for it; the set design, writing, and editing are all superb. But the series wouldn’t be anywhere without the very talented performances of the actors on-screen. And even though some of the beloved characters from season 1 did not get a lot of screen time in the new season, some new actors graced the screen with their presence as well. Here are the best characters of the series, ranked.

10 Jimmy “Cicero” Kalinowski

Known mostly as Uncle Jimmy, the character of Jimmy Kalinowski probably will not do very well on the likability scale, but we are not here to judge that. We know very well that even though he has a bad temperament, he has a heart of gold. He is a blood relative of the Berzattos and their uncle, who helped Michael with money. But even though Mikey died before being able to pay back the money, he did not hesitate to invest more money in the restaurant when Carmy took charge of it.

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He might seem cold and heartless from the outside, but he has a big heart and loves his family a lot. Due to his trust in Carmy’s abilities and his investment, the restaurant was able to stay afloat and succeed. Veteran actor Oliver Platt did a tremendous job bringing the character of Uncle Jimmy to life.

9 Natalie ‘Sugar’ Berzatto

Natalie is the sister of the main character, Carmen. The show starts with finding out that Carmen and Natalie’s brother, Micheal, had killed himself, leaving the ownership of the restaurant in the hands of his two other siblings. Throughout the series, Natalie tries to connect with her brother but stays distant in the day-to-day operations of the restaurant. The character is played by Abby Elliot, who puts on a great performance, especially when communicating with Carmen and navigating the relationship between him and her husband, Pete. She gets an expanded role in season 2, helping expand the restaurant.

8 Neil Fak

Neil, referred to by many of his coworkers as “Fak” is not a full-time employee of the restaurant but serves an integral role as the handyman who seems to be available whenever something goes awry. He doesn’t have many lines throughout the first season, but whenever he does, there is always something witty and hilarious coming out of his mouth. He gets an expanded role in season 2. The character is portrayed by Matty Matheson, who is an actual chef.

7 Sydney Adamu

Sydney is played by Ayo Edebiri and is a new hire to the restaurant after Carmen takes over management. She and Carmen are the only two professionally trained chefs in the kitchen and is instrumental in the reorganization of the small sandwich shop. Sydney has a bit of a hard time adjusting to working with the tenured kitchen staff, who are attached to their previous operation style.

The character provides a good balance to the personalities in the kitchen and is passionate about helping the struggling shop turn a profit. As the series goes on, she begins to develop an even larger role in developing the restaurant.

6 Claire

Claire is a character that was first introduced in season 2 of the show but already made a place in the heart of the audience. Claire is the first love interest Carmy has in the series and is a kind and gentle woman who was childhood friends with Carmy and the other cousins. In a flashback episode, we can also see that the cousins of Carmy were trying to set him up with Claire.

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But understandably, there has been a significant amount of backlash against Claire’s character. Netizens were seemingly mad at the character for embodying the dreaded “manic pixie dream girl” trope. On the other hand, there are also people who like her for her likable and gentle demeanor, as she acts as an anchor in Carmy’s life, which is filled with constant ups and downs. Many fans expect the show to continue into season 3, even though FX has made no such revelations yet. But if that is the case, we are excited to see how the character of Claire grows. Claire is played by Molly Gordon, famous for roles in Booksmart, Good Boys and recently both directed and starred in Theater Camp.

5 Marcus

Marcus is in charge of the kitchen’s bakery. Following the management of Carmen and the presence of Sydney in the kitchen, his passion for baking is re-invigorated, which inspires him to pursue donut making in the kitchen. His additional work in the kitchen adds a bit of stress to the already tension-heavy cooking space. Throughout the series, Marcus’s calm demeanor and affable personality make for a reprieve from the high-pressure environment of the other kitchen staff. The character is portrayed by Lionel Boyce; his character progression picks up in the latter half of the first season, and in season 2 truly comes into his own.

4 Tina

Tina starts the series very cold and standoffish. She refuses to adopt the new organizational strategies and picks fights with some of her coworkers. As the series progresses, she sees the change in the quality of food produced and eventually starts to admire the work that both Carmen and Sydney put in. The job changes from a chore to a duty for her community and is pivotal in de-escalating the tempers of some of her coworkers. She eventually adopts the policies and becomes one of the biggest supporters of the change, and is promoted to Sous-chef in season 2. The character is played by Liza Colón-Zayas, who brings a level of candidness and emotionality that is rare to see in a television series.

3 Ebraheim

Ebrahiem, like Marcus, is a point of calmness in the kitchen. He was quick to adapt to the new workflow following the ownership change. His speaking roles throughout the series are few, especially in the first few episodes of the first season. But, as the show progresses, we see more character development from Ebrahiem, and each line he speaks tells us more about his background. As he reads aloud a review for the restaurant, we learn he is proud of the work he has done. Later, in an attempt to calm down his coworker Richie, he relays a war story, showing us that he was a veteran of some type. Ebraheim is played by Edwin Lee Gibson, who does a fantastic job, and it will be interesting to see how the character progresses in season two.

2 Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto

The character Carmen is played by Jeremy Allen White, who is best known for his portrayal of Lip in the Showtime series Shameless. White does a great job in Shameless, but in The Bear, he really hones in on his acting ability and brings the performance to a new level. His range of emotions and the depth he portrays is unmatched by the other talented actors he shares the screen with. He can go from calm to aloof, and then to seething with anger in just a few moments.

White really puts on a captivating performance; the character Carmen is likable, relatable, and easy to feel for. The complex emotions that he goes through after the suicide of his brother are perfectly captured. If not for anything else, the performance of Jeremy Allen White makes this show well worth the watch and it is no wonder he score a recent Emmy nomination.

1 Richard ‘Richie’ Jerimovic

Closing out the list is Richie. He may not be the most likable character in this ensemble, but the character development we see throughout the season and the apt performance of a blue-collar, life-long Chicago resident puts him at the top of the list. Richie is Carmen’s cousin and had been working at the restaurant before Micheal died. He has a very hard time adjusting to Carmen’s management style and is often rebelling against his cousin’s orders.

We see a lot of Richie throughout the series, and some episodes seem to cover his hardships just as much as Carmen’s. He is a bit rough around the edges, but the writers of this show still find a way to have you rooting for him. Richie is played by Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who also appeared in The Punisher. His Chicago accent and similar mannerisms are incredibly believable and add a layer of immersion to the show that helps to separate the series from others.

A new spell is about to be cast. In news reported by The New York Times, Hayao Miyazaki will be creating a brand new Studio Ghibli movie. The last new Studio Ghibli movie, according to the publication. And one we are all excited to see take shape.

The article offers us a glimpse at the film, saying:

Neither Miyazaki nor Suzuki will share much about the forthcoming film, beyond the fact that it is based on a 1937 novel by Genzaburo Yoshino. The story concerns a 15-year-old boy in Tokyo, small for his age and fond of mischief, whose father has recently died. In the English translation by Bruno Navasky, published in October, the boy gazes out at the city and is overwhelmed: “The watching self, the self being watched, and furthermore the self becoming conscious of all this, the self observing itself by itself, from afar, all those various selves overlapped in his heart, and suddenly he began to feel dizzy.”

The actual content of the film could be anything — Suzuki has described it as “fantasy on a grand scale” — since Miyazaki doesn’t so much borrow stories as liberate them from their origins. (In the pseudobiographical “The Wind Rises,” he gives the real-life Jiro Horikoshi a fictional wife dying of tuberculosis.) All Suzuki will share is that he recognizes himself in one of the characters, who is not human.

Miyazaki’s works deal with many themes, popular among them coming-of-age narratives and discussions of nature vs. man. Fantasy always serves to heighten the aspects of reality that we can all understand. And, of course, incredibly intricate animation that soothes and moves us ties it all together. If this film will offer us something even grander than before, then it will truly astound.

Though the 1937 novel goes unnamed in the article, it appears Miyazaki will adapt How Do You Live? While this news appears to have released in some capacity at previous times, this feels like a formalization of intent. The book has long influenced Miyazaki, who cites it as his favorite childhood read.

The new Miyazaki movie, tentatively titled, How Do You Live, has also set its release date. It will arrive in Japan on July 14, 2023. In the US, the movie will be titled “The Boy and the Heron” and will arrive “later this year,” per its North American distributor GKids.

The movie released a poster in December 2022, but recently revealed that there would be no other images or trailers released to tease fans. We’ll be going into Miyazaki’s How Do You Live without any more information.

But will this truly be Miyazaki’s last film? Of course, Miyazaki has famously announced retirement before, only to return. Well, only time will tell. Miyazaki’s producer and partner Suzuki has only this insight, which the article shares. “In the West, we always need to know how things end. At Ghibli, the last scene is often a mystery.”

We look forward to this next great adventure.

Originally published on November 23, 2021.