In virtually each main Superman live-action adaptation, Lex Luthor is rarely far behind, being one of many Man of Metal’s biggest villains for over 80 years. Wherever Krypton’s Final Son seems, his in depth rogue’s gallery follows him round. From main antagonists like Lex, Brainiac, Doomsday, Metallo, Parasite, and Basic Zod, Kal-El’s mythology has some very dynamic and highly effective foes he goes up towards commonly. Regardless that Superman has to battle some extremely harmful threats, his greatest one may very well be the one with none superpowers, and that’s Lex Luthor. As seen within the comics, Superman/Justice League cartoons, and each live-action Lex Luthor, the villain wants solely his intelligence and sheer willpower to stay Superman’s archenemy, posing a risk that Clark cannot merely simply punch his approach by.
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All through their historical past, Superman and Lex Luthor have had an ongoing rivalry that has survived any reboots — although it is unsure whether or not Luthor can be an element within the new DCU’s first film, Superman: Legacy. Notably, Superman & Lois season 3 may also debut its personal model of Luthor, which can or might not develop into the DCU or Elseworlds’ Lex Luthor. Lex and Superman’s dynamic has additionally taken some attention-grabbing turns in recent times whereas nonetheless sustaining their reverse roles in main DC movies and TV reveals. Whereas some had longer runs than others, Superman properties have at all times discovered methods to introduce Clark’s nemesis. There will certainly be extra iterations of Lex Luthor in live-action to come back sooner or later, however at present, there have been practically a dozen actors to place their spin on the notorious Superman villain.
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Lyle Talbot (Atom Man vs. Superman)
Each live-action Lex Luthor’s profession owes one thing to Lyle Talbot’s model of the character. It solely took a decade after Lex appeared in DC Comics to be delivered to life within the 1950’s Atom Man vs. Superman serial, with Kirk Alyn enjoying the Man of Metal. Lyle Talbot was the primary performer ever to play Lex, who was additionally the Atom Man as the primary villain of the serial. Talbot’s Lex was considerably simplified the place he was genetically evil, which labored for the serial because it was extra family-friendly.
Gene Hackman (Superman, Superman II & Superman IV)
The 1978 Superman franchise started with Lex as our hero’s first risk, which Gene Hackman performed towards Christopher Reeve’s Man of Metal. Quite than being a scientist or inventor like within the comics, Lex was obsessive about actual property in Richard Donner’s Superman: The Film, and was depicted extra as a comedic villain. Hackman’s Lex might by no means have gotten to tug on his well-known Lexosuit and have a bodily combat with Superman, however he nonetheless stayed true to having utter hatred for the Kryptonian savior. Regardless of each live-action Lex Luthor getting darker and extra intense in later films and reveals, Hackman’s model will nonetheless at all times carry weight in Lex’s media historical past.
Scott James Wells/Sherman Howard (Superboy)
For his first main TV present, Lex was a recurring antagonist on Superboy, specializing in a youthful Clark Kent as a superhero, performed by John Haymes Newton. However after Superboy season 1, Newton was changed with Gerald Christopher, and that wasn’t the one main function the present ended up recasting. Aside from having two totally different actors for younger Superman, what makes Superboy totally different from each live-action Lex Luthor iteration is that it was the primary to recast Lex. Within the first season, Scott James Wells performed Lex who needed to destroy Superboy, it doesn’t matter what. Whereas Lex did lose his hair on the finish of the season, Sherman Howard changed Wells in Superboy season 2 and past. Being a product of its time, each actors performed Lex comedically and dramatically.
John Shea (Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman)
Lex’s subsequent TV portrayal in live-action got here from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, with John Shea within the villainous DC function for a lot of the first season. Regardless that Lex returns for a couple of episodes right here and there within the later seasons, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman season 1 was Shea’s greatest run. In distinction to each live-action Lex Luthor within the fashionable period, particularly Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex, the largely underrated portrayal of John Shea’s Lex Luthor had the whole lot: charisma, sinister intelligence, and an extremely watchable campiness. Whereas John Shea’s efficiency as Lex was stable, the writing that received a bit far and wide, particularly throughout the present’s clone saga that he kicked off.
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Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville)
The Superman prequel present Smallville did not simply inform the origin story of Clark earlier than changing into Superman, but in addition how Lex finally ends up as his final enemy. For seven seasons and a return within the collection finale, Michael Rosenbaum performed Lex, who began as Clark’s finest good friend. However because the collection progressed, Lex got here nearer and nearer to his future as Clark’s archenemy. Having Clark and Lex’s tales paralleled on Smallville allowed the writers to deconstruct the 2 DC icons and the way they find yourself as hero and villain, respectively. The 2001 collection Smallville is unparalleled on this regard. Rosenbaum has performed Lex longer than each live-action Lex Luthor on this listing, and could also be the very best instance of how one can painting Superman’s biggest foe adequately. Smallville at all times took Lex critically and stayed true to how advanced he really is by the point he and Clark are rivals.
Kevin Spacey (Superman Returns)
In 2006, Reeve’s Superman franchise was semi-revived with Superman Returns, which was by some means occurring after the occasions of Superman II. Whereas Brandon Routh performed Reeve’s Superman, Kevin Spacey was solid as Lex, who was meant to be Hackman’s authentic characterization — one of many many the explanation why Superman Returns was a weird chapter for the Donnerverse. Regardless that this movie ignores the third and fourth installments, Spacey’s Lex is aggressive and way more psychotic than Hackman’s Lex was in the whole collection.
Jesse Eisenberg (Batman v Superman, Justice League)
After the DCEU kicked off in 2013, Jesse Eisenberg was solid as Lex in Batman v Superman: Daybreak of Justice and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Curiously, BvS director Zack Snyder virtually picked Bryan Cranston for the function, which might’ve been an attention-grabbing comparability to each live-action Lex Luthor, although Eisenberg’s model has its deserves. Snyderverse Lex Luthor was yet one more younger tackle the Superman foe, however a bit extra unhinged than different iterations. However that did not cease Eisenberg’s Lex from being an mental mastermind whereas nonetheless having a really sociopathic characterization. Batman v Superman is admittedly the majority of Eisenberg’s appearances as Lex, who manages to pit the World’s Best towards one another whereas having a smaller function within the Snyder Reduce. Had the Justice League sequels occurred, Eisenberg’s Lex would have gone on to steer the Injustice League and assist Darkseid.
Jon Cryer (Supergirl)
In Supergirl season 4, the Arrowverse lastly introduces its Lex with Jon Cryer being solid within the iconic function. The gig grew to become Cryer’s second go together with the Superman universe as he performed Lenny Luthor, Lex’s nephew, within the film Superman IV: The Quest for Peace – Supergirl’s story inspiration for the episode “Hope for Tomorrow”. The Arrowverse’s Lex has been Superman’s nemesis for a number of years, as he’s utterly evil at this level and has totally embraced that. Due to his expertise, Lex is already very harmful, highly effective, and a number of other steps forward of somebody like Supergirl and Superman. The place John Cryer’s Lex Luthor at present is in life appears like a future Rosenbaum’s Lex would seemingly discover themselves in if his rivalry with Superman went on lengthy sufficient. Regardless that Jon Cryer’s live-action Lex Luthor has been battling Tyler Hoechlin’s Superman for years throughout the world of the Arrowverse, they’ve truly not had an opportunity to work collectively that a lot.
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Titus Welliver (Titans)
What makes Titus Welliver’s model of Lex decidedly totally different from each live-action Lex Luthor is that, quickly after his introduction in Titans season 4, he dies of a terminal sickness — however not earlier than leaving Lexcorp, and Luthor’s whole empire and legacy, within the palms of Joshua Orpin’s Superboy. It is a distinctive take that brilliantly will get right down to Lex Luthor’s roots, and units him up as a conduit for Superman’s evolution in Titans. Some viewers have even theorized that whereas Welliver’s time within the collection is short-lived, contemplating what’s occurring to Superboy, it is attainable that Lex Luthor has uncharacteristically turned to magic to own the teenage superhero. Whereas Titans can be ending in its fourth season, the but unreleased Titans season 4 half 2 may nonetheless affirm whether or not that is true.
Michael Cudlitz (Superman & Lois)
Debuting alongside the premiere of Superman & Lois season 3, Michael Cudlitz’ villain guarantees to take an uncharted course with respect to each live-action Lex Luthor in latest historical past. Aside from how Superman & Lois’ Lex Luthor reveal additional confirms that the present has utterly indifferent from the Arrowverse, Strolling Useless’s Michael Cudlitz is understood for his intimidatingly burly physique and penchant for enjoying robust guys. A model of Lex Luthor that seems extra bodily intimidating as Superman definitely is not all that is wanted to reinvent the character in 2023 — however given how Superman & Lois has cleverly tailored the supply materials up to now, audiences can safely count on nice issues from Cudlitz’ Lex.
Will Lex Luthor Be The Villain In Superman: Legacy?
There’s been no actual indication that Lex Luthor would be the principal antagonist in Superman: Legacy, the primary film that can open Gods and Monsters, the official Chapter 1 of the brand new DCU. That mentioned, DCU Studios co-CEO Peter Safran’s descriptions of Superman: Legacy does counsel that Luthor might be concerned: “It focuses on Superman balancing his Kryptonian heritage along with his human upbringing… Superman represents fact, justice, and the American approach. He’s variety in a world that thinks of kindness as old style.” Then again, James Gunn’s new Superman film — which is able to kick off the most important DC media reboot in latest historical past — could also be extra consistent with the DCU’s targets of presenting new and contemporary tales with out the basic Superman nemesis.
Certainly, each live-action Lex Luthor, irrespective of how nice the efficiency, is at all times sure to Lex and Clark Kent’s basic rivalry. Exterior Superman: Legacy, nonetheless, the DCU Lex Luthor could also be extra of a greater match within the deliberate DCU film based mostly on DC Comics’ The Authority, which is about an Illuminati-like tremendous crew that goes to excessive lengths to guard Earth. Actor Dave Bautista, who has labored with James Gunn within the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, has publicly volunteered himself for the function of the DCU’s Lex Luthor, which might be an attention-grabbing proposition. In any case, whether or not within the DCU mainstream continuity or in DC Studios’ Elseworlds properties, there’ll at all times be moments when viewers will inevitably ponder whether Superman’s biggest rival is about to rear his evil head.
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