Finding the Perfect Lex Luthor for the Man of Steel Franchise

Finding the Perfect Lex Luthor for the Man of Steel Franchise

9 choices for Lex Luthor, should he been cast in the Man of Steel Franchise!

Editorial Opinion
By BobGarlen - Jun 23, 2013 08:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Superman
Source: Robert Garlen



Lex Luthor [Height: 6' 2", Age: 30's-40's]: is one of the most dangerously intelligent men on the planet- a super-villain, a brilliant scientist, a billionaire industrialist, and Superman's greatest enemy. This combination makes him an extremely powerful and formidable opponent; he is ruthless, efficient and creative. In addition to his personal vendetta against the man who thwarts his every scheme, he despises the alien Man of Steel from an ideological standpoint for contradicting his human achievements. He has always been a controversial figure in the public eye due to LexCorp's corrupt business dealings.

Idris Elba [Height: 6' 3", Age: 40, Notable Works: The Losers, Luther {T.V. Series}, Prometheus]: Idris is a wonderful actor best known for his recent work with Marvel Studios, having played Heimdall in Thor and Set to Return for Thor The Dark World. He's taken supporting roles that taken a sort of controversy to them and turned out great performances, having him as Lex Luthor is giving him a role to fully shine in and make his own.

Leonardo DiCaprio [Height: 6' 0", Age: 38, Notable Works: Inception, Django Unchained, The Great Gatsby]: Leo is an actor who is takes roles and transforms them. He has done wonderful as a leading man, but would be an amazing Lex Luthor. He's got the right look and build for an actor who needs to play Lex. He would do a wonderful job as Lex and really redefine the role.

Liev Schreiber [Height: 6' 3", Age: 45, Notable Works: Manchurian Candidate, Salt, Defiance]: I see him in a series of Fan cast for everything from the Punisher to Batman to Harvey Dent, but to be honest I’ve always felt he would play an Ideal Lex Luthor, He’s got a nice strong working man’s voice, intelligence, and does great work.

John Cusack [Height: 6' 2", Age: 46, Notable Works: 1408, 2012, The Raven]: I wanted an original choice for the role and I love Cusack's work. Honestly I think he would pull off the new 52 Lex {as seen in Action Comics} perfectly.

Patrick Dempsey [Height: 5' 10", Age: 47, Notable Works: Enchanted, Made of Honor, Transformers Dark of the Moon]: He practically played a Lex Luthor in Transformers Dark of the Moon. He had the swagger, the suaveness, and style of Lex Luthor, he would be a wonderful addition, not to mention the features to match Cavill's.

Timothy Olyphant [Height: 6' 0", Age: 45, Notable Works: Live Free or Die Hard, Hitman, I Am Number Four]: He was a perfect Lex Luthor like villain in Live Free or Die Hard. He's got the style of Lex down pat, not to mention the intimidation the presence and the look of a perfect Lex.

Sam Rockwell [Height: 5' 9", Age: 44, Notable Works: Iron Man 2, Moon, Seven Psycopaths]: He was fantastic in Iron Man 2. I'd like to see him play a truly evil tyrant. Sam is a great actor who could really nail a contemporary styled Lex and play his envious nature perfectly.

Will Smith [Height: 6' 2", Age: 44, Notable Works: Pursuit of Happyness, Seven Pounds, I Am Legend]: Very Unconventional but when he wants to give a wonderful performance. Giving him a role like this allows him to portray corporate business moguls the way he sees them. It really allows him to open the gate and transform himself as an actor.

Josh Brolin [Height: 5' 10", Age: 45, Notable Works: No Country For Old Men, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Gangster Squad]: A wonderful actor who's work in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps convinced me he would own as a modern day Lex Luthor. He has a suave sense to him while also having an intimidating presence to his character.

This is all pure ideas on my part, Having chose each actor without having seen anyone else's choices. This is pure speculation. I hope you enjoyed the article
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EdgyOutsider
EdgyOutsider - 6/23/2013, 9:55 PM
Timothy Olyphant would be brilliant.
dekexz19
dekexz19 - 6/23/2013, 9:56 PM
Will Smith and Leonardo Dicaprio seem like the best fits from this list, maybe Patrick Dempsey, but he doesn't strike me as a threat.
dekexz19
dekexz19 - 6/23/2013, 10:03 PM
Honestly, I'd say either Michael C. Hall or Billy Zane would make great Lex Luthors, but mostly Michael.

I want Lex Luthor in the DC Cinematic Universe to be a mix of the Young Justice Lex Luthor(at first, while he first starts to battle Superman) and the All-Star Superman Lex (by the end of the series where he just hates Superman and is so desperate he will go to any costs to destroy the "self-righteous fool" he believes Superman is).
That's why I feel Michael C. Hall would be the best because he can play a cynical character with obsessive qualities because Lex should end up so disgruntled that his entire life revolves around his animosity against Superman. It should be all he thinks about.

That's how I feel.
Joker11
Joker11 - 6/23/2013, 10:21 PM
Michael C. Hall all the way!
gmoney0505
gmoney0505 - 6/23/2013, 10:43 PM
Bruce Willis. Watch Perfect Stranger and come back to me.
whoa123
whoa123 - 6/23/2013, 10:48 PM
Out of those choices, mine would be Idris Elba, Leonardo DiCaprio and Josh Brolin. But who I would really want to see is Benedict Cumberbatch (if he isn't Brainiac hehe).
PsychoManiacJacky
PsychoManiacJacky - 6/23/2013, 10:49 PM
There can only be one...

TheOneAboveAll
TheOneAboveAll - 6/23/2013, 11:31 PM
Just bring back Clancy Brown if you don't get Micahel C. Hall
BlackIceJoe
BlackIceJoe - 6/24/2013, 12:04 AM
Jason Isaacs or Daniel Day-Lewis would be my picks for Lex.

But out of these people my vote goes to Leonardo Dicaprio.
kong
kong - 6/24/2013, 3:17 AM
Idris Elba is the best here. Also he's not best known for thor. He starred in his own TV show (Luthor(No joke)) and his own movie (Daddy's little girls)
Osirisno6
Osirisno6 - 6/24/2013, 5:17 AM
Daniel Day Lewis
Michael C Hall

Tainted87
Tainted87 - 6/24/2013, 5:38 AM
Clancy Brown.
Like I said on main, he knows the character best. Only concern is height - he may be too tall!
IronBalls
IronBalls - 6/24/2013, 5:44 AM
Will Farrell or John C Riley. Yesssssssssssss
IronBalls
IronBalls - 6/24/2013, 5:46 AM
Idris Elba? Dont think he looks like Lex much myself.
Lhornbk
Lhornbk - 6/24/2013, 6:53 AM
John Cusack? Patrick Dempsey? Will Smith? Really? Ummm....no. Cusack & Dempsey are just totally wrong. Totally wrong. They're pretty boys, not villains (and no, "pretty boys" is NOT a compliment.) Will Smith might be able to play a villain, but they've already changed Perry White to African American, so I don't see them doing that with Luther. And he would just look silly with a bald head & those big Dumbo ears of his, lol. Olyphant would probably work well. As for Sam Rockwell, he played basically a buffoon in Iron Man 2. That doesn't give me the idea that he'd be a good Lex Luther. Liev doesn't really strike me as Lex, & neither does Brolin. I don't really know this Idris guy, so don't know how we would do. As for this silly Nick Cage campaign, if you're gonna make Luther a crazed, maniacal, almost Joker-like lunatic killer, then Cage could do it. But if you're making Luther a genius businessman who is corrupt and somewhat more vaguely criminal, then I can't see Cage in that role.

The one name on the list that intrigued me the most was Dicaprio. Yes, he can be a pretty boy too. But, he has turned in some very good performances and I believe he would have a chance to be a very good Luther.
hench
hench - 6/24/2013, 8:02 AM
Not trying to sound bigoted but....LUTHOR IS NOT BLACK!!!!! I was fine with the Perry White character being portrayed by Fishy but stop changing the skin color of main, pivotal characters just for the sake of trying to show the world how far we think we've come as a society.
Blackreverend
Blackreverend - 6/24/2013, 10:03 AM
@ hench - lol You really don't get it! He's a front runner because he's simply that good an actor! This has nothing to do with racebending...
@ Cuban RaftRider - I get what you're saying although Lex Luther isn't the king of Wakanda. Nothing about his history dictates that he must be Caucasian. I'm black and I'd be fine with the Falcon being white if the acting was worth it!

My Top 5 Are:

Michael C. Hall
Leonardo Dicaprio
Matthew McConaughey
Bradley Cooper
Jason Isaacs

And if they hadn't been in so many CBMs already I would have added Idris Elba & Benedict Cumberbatch to the list.
Kalel59
Kalel59 - 6/24/2013, 10:08 AM

lapress
lapress - 6/24/2013, 11:20 AM
That would be ironic if Luther played Luthor.
DumbledoreCalrissian
DumbledoreCalrissian - 6/24/2013, 11:28 AM
My choice would be Mark Strong sure he already played Sinestro , but the guy is perfect for the role
TheSuperguy
TheSuperguy - 6/24/2013, 1:09 PM
Mark Strong for Lex Luthor, and have him still play Sinestro, too!
BANE5000
BANE5000 - 6/24/2013, 3:42 PM
Will Smith?...Big LOL on that casting choice

There was a rumor during the development of MOS that Nolan met with Billy Zane a few times, possibly to play Lex...I can see him playing the part, hes got that arrogant, shit eating grin ud expect from someone like Lex whos the wealthiest, smartest man on Earth thats obsessed with a certain Son of Kryptons demise.

But I agree with some people here, if not Billy Zane, shave Michael C Hall's head and he'd be a great Lex as well.
Facade
Facade - 6/24/2013, 4:58 PM
I bet Snyder give Lex hair.
PiereDevon
PiereDevon - 6/24/2013, 9:50 PM
Like 6 of them already been in superhero movies
thehendryx
thehendryx - 6/25/2013, 5:56 AM
Other than Elba, or Olyphant these choices are pretty terrible, imo.


Mark Strong is who Snyder wants, and I can really see him in the role.




Arnold Vosloo (the Mummy) would be a great Luthor as well.
thehendryx
thehendryx - 6/25/2013, 5:59 AM
Or John Malkovich
BatsFan
BatsFan - 6/25/2013, 8:08 AM
Michael C Hall
PeterBenjaminParker
PeterBenjaminParker - 6/25/2013, 1:56 PM
HELL YES to Idris Elba and Timothy Olyphant :D
Brave5partan
Brave5partan - 6/25/2013, 4:04 PM
I think Lex must be charming, smart, dangerous and ultra charismatic.The actor who will portay him don't have to be like a "caricature" of the character. We have to trust that Lex is real. This is my list: Bruce Willis, Matthew Mcconaughey, Mark Strong, Paul Bettany, Ralph Fiennes, Viggo Mortensen and John Travolta. What do you think of those names?
camlabar
camlabar - 6/25/2013, 4:22 PM
Joaquin phoenix would be ideal.
camlabar
camlabar - 6/25/2013, 4:24 PM
but i still do like the Nicolas Cage idea.
Brave5partan
Brave5partan - 6/25/2013, 4:38 PM
Phoenix is a great actor but I think he don't have that aura of the established businessman Lex is. Also he don't have the fierce charm of an actor like Bruce Willis or Daniel Craig and Jim Caviezel who in my humble opinion can match with the character.
Brave5partan
Brave5partan - 6/25/2013, 4:41 PM
Mark Strong will be BADASS as Lex!
Brave5partan
Brave5partan - 6/25/2013, 4:44 PM
I suggest WB to seriousely look that way! Strong would be a top choice.
HouseSnow
HouseSnow - 6/25/2013, 6:34 PM
any of those actors besides Idris Elba and Ill kill myself. Mark Strong is a good choice
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