Smallville's Michael Rosenbaum on Lex Luthor
In a recent podcast conversation, Michael Rosenbaum expresses his dissatisfaction with previous versions of the character Lex Luthor. The former Smallville actor mentions actors like Kevin Spacey, Michael Cudlitz, Titus Welliver, Jesse Eisenberg, and Jon Cryer who have portrayed the character in previous adaptations. There’s also interest in Rosenbaum’s personal preference for the role, and whether or not it’s an indication of the villain’s presence in Superman: Legacy or the larger DCU.
James Gunn, who is currently working on his upcoming Superman movie, neither confirms nor denies the presence of Lex Luthor in Legacy or the DCU at large. The filmmaker does, however, share which comic book incarnations of the character he admires.
“Better than all of them is you,” Gunn tells Rosenbaum. “You did it so well, because you just didn’t care about being the biggest bad ass and you weren’t the first to have powers, you had all the baggage that comes with the name,” Rosenbaum adds. “There’s not a hint of gravitas in any of the other versions, which makes me happiest,” Rosenbaum continues, as he touches on his feelings about the character’s portrayal in previous films and TV shows.
“I think Jesse Eisenberg did a great job, uh, and… I just liked him as a character,” Gunn begins before Rosenbaum cuts him off.
“Yeah, but you see, that’s not the guy I am talking about,” Rosenbaum exclaims, citing the fact that Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor was “the man behind the curtain,” and there was examination of his mind rather than him as a physical character. “There’s not one explosion, there’s not one gun, there’s not one punch, there’s nothing physical,” Rosenbaum continues. “[I want] something that resonates with the audience and you’re afraid of and you recognize,” Rosenbaum further explains.
“That’s the one I am going to give you,” Gunn replies. “When the movie comes out, we’ll put it right on the poster. Okay? That’s a promise. So you can quote me on this,” Gunn declares, to which Rosenbaum responds: “Oh man… You promise?” to which the two dissolve into laughter.
“Don’t tease me,” Rosenbaum says, jokingly. While this could simply be a nod to Rosenbaum’s participation in Smallville and its depiction of Lex, it’s safe to say that the actor, who’s also played the Avengers’ Doctor Strange, has a pretty strong personal opinion that aligns with Gunn’s.
Fans who’ve been skeptical of the more Earth-One or Birthright-inspired versions of Lex Luthor that have cropped up within the Snyder films (Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League), may be excited by Rosenbaum’s remarks and Gunn’s promises.
Gunn clarifies on Twitter, however, that he was actually referring to Gene Hackman’s version of Lex Luthor from the Christopher Reeve Superman movies. While Gunn is a fan of Eisenberg, he explains his take on why he thinks Eisenberg’s portrayal didn’t hit the mark.
“I think some people misunderstood what James and I were saying on the podcast – I don’t hate Jesse’s performance but yes, I definitely meant to reference Gene Hackman’s killin’ take on Lex,” Gunn clarifies via Twitter. “In fact, I will say I think #Smallville is pretty great, and I love #MichaelRosenbaum as well,” he adds.
Whether or not Rosenbaum’s version of Lex is what the fans can expect in Legacy, it doesn’t sound as though the villain will have the same status in the DCU as he did in Smallville, where he was a main character throughout the series.
As for the DCU, Luthor did take over the presidency once, so it wouldn’t be completely out of line to expect a Lex Luthor solo movie within the DC Universe; something very similar to what’s happening with DC.
