Suicide Squad: Jesse Eisenberg to reprise Batman v Superman role as Lex Luthor

Fury's David Ayer is directing a supervillain blockbuster for Warner Bros

Jesse Eisenberg attends the London premiere of his film, The Double (Getty Images)

Jesse Eisenberg is set to reprise his role as villain Lex Luthor in upcoming blockbuster Suicide Squad, reports suggest.

The US actor will play the evil, megalomaniac business tycoon in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, alongside Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill. The film is scheduled for a March 2016 release.

But Eisenberg could be taking his part as Superman's arch nemesis further after impressing filmmakers with his portrayal, according to Deadline.

David Ayer (Fury, The Fast and the Furious) will direct Suicide Squad, about a gang of comic book supervillains who are recruited by the government for the highest risk missions. Tom Hardy, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Will Smith are among the actors being scouted for roles.

"I love the passion [comic-book fans] have for these characters and these worlds," Ayer said recently. "The mythology that these characters represent – the idea of them as fallen gods on Earth – is intriguing to me. I can't wait to start exploring those corridors."

Eisenberg has already signed on to Now You See Me 2 and is considering Todd Phillips' new stoner comedy Arms & The Dudes.

Should he ink a deal for Suicide Squad, shooting will begin ahead of a planned August 2016 release.

Between now and 2020, Warner Bros plans to roll out ten superhero and supervillain epics focusing on DC Comics characters.

Gal Gadot will star as Wonder Woman in a stand-alone movie before work begins on Justice League Part 1. Other films lined up for the silver screen include The Flash, Aquaman, Justice League Part 2, Cyborg and another Green Lantern.