Why Is It Impossible To Get Another Good Lex Luthor?

Throughout all the different Superman related media, Lex Luthor has had many different interpretations. Though only Superman the Animated Series has gotten the closest to his comic book origin. Other portrayals of Lex Luthor in things like Smallville, Superman Returns, and Batman vs Superman, have seemingly fallen flat. Will we ever get a new Superman story with a decent Lex Luthor?

#superman #lexluthor #nerdstalgic

Written by Dave Baker
Edited by David Sadvari

[ikemeitz]

The animated Lex Luthor from the Justice League show is the best the character has ever been.

[RazzaldG]

Michael Rosenbaum from Smallville was the best modern depiction. Both in acting and in the characters motivation and story.

[tomlawal]

Michael Rosenbaum’s Lex Luthor remains the very best in my opinion. He was layered, contextualised and multifaceted in a way we haven’t gotten since. The writing for him in Smallville and the dynamic with Lionel is just chef’s kiss.

[johnmcafee]

I really liked Michael Rosenbaum's depiction of Lex Luthor. Both he and the writers gave us a Lex who was complex, layered and, most importantly, conflicted.
I think it's to Rosembaum's credit that nuance was added that hadn't existed the character in previous iterations. I recently re-watched Smallville and I found myself really rooting for Lex to overcome his demons despite the fact I already knew how it would end.

[Phlebas]

Once again, the DCAU sets the standard for portraying a major DC character. I'm not even a huge comic book nerd, but those shows were awesome.

[FlackNCoke]

Lex has such potential to be an extremely complex and even sympathetic villain - there’s a reason so many alternate universe stories involve an altruistic Lex from a parallel earth, it’s because the OG has the brilliance to do truly great things if only he could get over his jealousy and ambition. To me that’s such a compelling character, and then as a villain, giving Superman a threat he can’t punch, he can’t chuck into space, and who is so clever, rich, and connected that the earth systems Clark has sworn to abide by won’t touch him… that’s just brilliant.

All of that gets lost if you just make him a “criminal mastermind” or a weird little goober lacking charisma. He needs to be likable, he needs to be charming, he needs to be untouchable, and he needs to have the law on his side even if the law is blatantly corrupt.

[freddyjosereginomontalvo]

Clancy Brown Lex Luthor and Michael Rosenbaum Lex Luthor are truly one of the best versions of the character.
You know what?
Not only for his love of the source material, his deep and complex, his relation with superman and other heroes, his journey...
Because he doesn't wash his hands after using the toilet.
He is a villain.

[nagamata]

Clancy Brown’s Luthor will always reign supreme in my eyes. That animated Luthor seems much more in every aspect; more capable, more intelligent, more intimidating, etc.

[eric_tha_ric]

Rosenbaum is a perfect Lex, like most characters in Smallville, it just was a tv show and was obviously drawn out, which prevents it from being the true character. But Rosenbaum will forever be my Lex.

[ArcherSuh]

At first, I thought Jesse Eisenberg's performance was going to be Lex Luthor's public persona. He was presenting himself as an eccentric, but that mask would be removed and then we'd see the "real" Lex Luthor. I thought it was interesting he would have his own version of the Clark Kent disguise.
But... that isn't what happened.

[solaceboy]

What people don't understand about Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor is that he was based off of the Lex Luthor from the 1930s to the 1970s in the comics. After that they made him the versions you see in popular media after that.

[thehobojarpen]

Animated Luthor (Clancy Brown) and Smallville Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) are the best Luthors

[KalEl]

I know it came out just weeks before this video, but Titus Welliver playing Lex Luthor on Titans was an unexpected delight. He was charismatic like Rosenbaum and confident like Clancy, but also brought wisdom and maturity to the role I've never seen in live-action. He almost won over Conor and me in one episode! It was really bittersweet and I hope we get more of him in the role in the future.

[project]

I thought that the best way to portray Luthor, and done well by both by Clancy Brown and Michael Rosenbaum, is that Luthor is in *the wrong story*.

He's the "pull yourself up by your bootstraps, " industrious boy that will change the world by his inventions and mind and the world will love him for it.

...the problem is that he's in a four-color superhero comic, not a E.E. Smith science fiction novel or a Horatio Algers novel where that works.

At some level, he realizes this, and this makes him very, very angry.

[josephsloop]

John Shea in Lois and Clark in the 90's is also a great Lex Luthor. There, Lex is both a brilliant businessman who has the support of the public and law, while also being an underground criminal mastermind. Shea plays both sides of Luthor perfectly portraying him as a brilliant villain who treats life as a game where he comes out on top. Superman's appearance first intrigues Luthor as a challenge, a test of an obstacle to overcome. As the season progresses, that intrigue turns to jealousy, as Superman starts gathering the adoration of the public, which he resents, because he is no longer the big man on campus. In the end, his evil side is exposed, the billionaire do-gooder revealed to be a fraud, and the real Lex emerges to challenge Superman in Seasons 2 & 3. Really well done.

[CptColumbo]

You missed John Shea as Luthor in Lois and Clark. I thought he played the mogul version of him really well. With jealosy of Superman as his prime motivation.

[LuisSanchez-bymh]

I like the Lex Luthor from Young Justice. A man who’s always three steps ahead and gets inside your mind. And could get away with practically anything.

[socialmoth]

Funny that Jon Cryer plays Lex Luthor in Supergirl. He played Lex's nephew in Superman-Quest for Peace. I'm sure that was intentional on the production's part.

[BrazenBard]

Sad to see no mention of John Shea's performance in the 90s Lois & Clark series - which, in my book, also has the best Superman in live-action, due to the extensive focus on Clark Kent.

[TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

1:15 “Whose greatest asset was not money, gadgets or weaponry, it was simply his mind. Luthor showed us that a mortal could stand toe to toe against a god like superman”

Kinda sounds like you described Batman in a way