Back at the very start of 2023, James Gunn was hired as the Co-CEO DC Studios, and he shared his plans fresh and upcoming plans for the first chapter of his rebooted DCU. The filmmaker stated several exciting projects that will take place under him, not only did he announce a Batman movie but also a Superman film, something that has kept the fans on their tiptoes.
While there are not many updates about his film, James Gunn had something interesting to say about the iconic DC villain, Lex Luthor when he was on the Inside of You podcast. He hinted that in the film there may or may not be a Lex Luthor, and what he thinks of Michael Rosenbaum’s portrayal of the character in Smallville.
James Gunn Shares His Opinion On Lex Luthor
As iconic as Superman is in the DC Universe, only one of the supervillains who come close to matching him in popularity it’s none other than Lex Luthor. Over the years, the character has become synonymous with being one of the greatest and most dangerous villains in the DCU and has managed to stay relevant despite making a limited number of appearances in the DCEU.
Lex Luthor has made everyone his fan, when James Gunn was a guest on Inside of You with Micheal Rosenbaum, he shared what he thinks of the character, and how Rosenbaum’s portrayal of the character in Smallville was the best. The Suicide Squad director was asked if Lex Luthor will be the main villain in Superman: Legacy. The question was answered by Gunn with an awkward silence, but he clarified “I never said there was a Lex Luthor in there.”
The filmmaker goes on to state how Michael Rosenbaum’s portrayal of Lex Luthor was the best one and everyone knew that. However, he was not perfect for his movie.
Gunn said, “You’re the best Lex, let’s admit it, we know you’re the best Lex.” Rosenbaum interrupted “Come on, you’re being funny.” James Gunn continued, “I’m not being funny, you’re definitely the best Lex.”
The host was flabbergasted as he could not believe his comments, and he asked “Really?” Followed by an affirmative reply from the Co-CEO of DC Studios “Definitely.” However, he is not perfect for his movie as he said “not right for my movie.” Hence, the question remains if Lex Luthor would make his appearance in Superman: Legacy.
Can DC Fans Expect Lex Luthor To Be In James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy
Superman: Legacy has unveiled its main cast, where fans would get to see David Corenswet as Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. It will only be a matter of time before the film reveals who will be the main villain of the upcoming film. Superman has a number of villains to choose from, including Brainiac, Doomsday, and of course Lex Luthor.
However, finding an actor who could embody the role of the iconic villain is important as the portrayal had its fair share of ups and downs. Moreover, Jesse Eisenberg could not impress people with his unusual attitude of the character. While it is important to have a good main villain, James Gunn should include Luthor not as a main villain but as a secondary character so that he can sow the seeds for a possible sequel.
While Luthor as the main villain would make Superman: Legacy an interesting watch looking at the past problems of the SnyderVerse it would be wise to not start the franchise with the most popular villain.
Also Read: Michael Keaton Refused To Let Christian Bale Take Credit For the One Thing That Binds Them Together
Superman: Legacy is scheduled to be released on 11 July 2025.
