Lex Luthor to be in 6th Superman Film... YET AGAIN!!!

Lex Luthor to be in 6th Superman Film... YET AGAIN!!!

You'd think after appearing as the villain in ALL 5 Superman films they would give Lex Luthor a rest--but no. According to actor Kevin Spacey, Warner Bros., "will be paying (Spacey) big bucks to reprise his role as Lex Luthor next year" in the 6th Superman movie.

Editorial Opinion
By ComicBookMovie - Oct 03, 2008 11:10 AM EST
Filed Under: Superman
Source: Belfast Telegraph

Buried deep within a new interview with Spacey in the Belfast Telegraph is a tidbit about the sequel to Superman Returns, which co-starred the Oscar winner as the villainous Lex Luthor.

Following the sucess of the grim and gritty The Dark Knight, Warner Bros. Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov recently told the Wall Street Journal that the studio's upcoming DC Comics movie slate is "going to try to go dark to the extent that the characters allow it," and the next Superman movie will be no exception.

The film is expected to reintroduce the Man of Steel to audiences by 2011.









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Bijous
Bijous - 10/3/2008, 2:27 PM
Eh. Spacey was good as Luthor, but I'm kind of tired of the character. If Supes is going to compete with the other comic-to-film blockbusters, he needs to punch stuff...and be punched back! What is the theme lately? Fighting one's opposite. Iron Man fought Iron Monger, Hulk fought Abomination, Spidey fought Venom...Supes should take on Bizarro!!!!
dominion_ruler
dominion_ruler - 10/3/2008, 6:31 PM
I am tired of Luther, but if a reboot is a go you need him at some point, he is just about the most popular Superman villain, but it sucks the only time he can fight Superman is when he's got a fist full of Kryptonite. Someday that can equally fight Superman would be nice...I'd really like to see Zod again!
SuperFlyinPwrs
SuperFlyinPwrs - 10/3/2008, 11:40 PM
Brainiac would be cool. They haven't done him yet. Personally Darkseid would be bad ass to have in a Superman movie. That is if they're still on redoing Superman. Brandon Routh is still good to do Superman. What I think was the real problem was the script. The only real time you give a costume-hero a child is if your ending the series. Hope for Darkseid still!
darthstern
darthstern - 10/4/2008, 4:02 AM
A dark superman? I dont know maybe its me, but superman is a mom and pop hero. He was, is all that is old school american values. Changing his character is whats wrong with the movie industry. So The Dark Knight is the second higest grossing film in history, I know lets copy the narritive and just put in Superman. The kids will love it, and well be rolling in dough. This is what happens when the big maching gets into interlectual properties, its all just a cash cow to them. Dont get me wrong The Dark Knight was a great movie and it was dark as hell, but Batman is a dark character The draw of this character is the fight with his inner demons and his struggle to be a man and not a monster. Superman on the other hand is the antehesis of Batman. Making him "dark" is just the wrong way to go. The real problem with "Returns", which i dont care what anyone says, is a great movie, was just timeing. If it came out in 85 most people would have loved it. It was just people wanted a new take and rehashing a 30 year old story line just did not cut it. Reinventing Superman would be like reinventing Mickey Mouse to make him a moody rat who just wants to get into Minnys pants. Well any way sorry for the rant. Luthor is just plain played out, Bizarro is the way to go. ohhhh and buy the way Luthor was not it Superman 3 ye'old comic book move lovers. For some reason I remember Richard Pryor, Annie Ross, Pamela Stephenson, and Robert Vaughn as a really bad idea. Maybe if is was Lex the mvie wouldent have sucked so bad
darthstern
darthstern - 10/4/2008, 4:33 AM
ohh yeah P.S. there is one way to make a dark super man movie. Just Take "Red Son" and make a script out if it. If any one has not read it, pick it up its one of the best superman titles in years.
Scottymagic
Scottymagic - 10/4/2008, 1:24 PM
I agree as i think most would that superman needs something to fight and punch and provide some physical threat but i think you need a Lex Luthor in a superman film, he's essential i dont think confirmation of his presence means it'll be another rehash of superman or superman returns, if its bizarro if gives a chance for both to shine, brainiac there could be an alliance of some kind etc,etc so im personally pleased about the involvement of Luthor, i think Spacey as Luthor was the best thing in Superman Returns.

Also about the dark thing, i think its a bad idea to depict superman based on batman as they are completely different characters, almost all the comic-book movie failures have come out of trying to emulate another success by compromising tone and character, bad idea. Rather than dark they need to make him as relatable as in Returns with less random superkids and family issues and more immediate threat of villainry and earth saving, deliver this im pretty sure itll be a hit....for me at least.
twocents
twocents - 10/4/2008, 2:53 PM
Total agreement in fundamentally changing the disposition of Superman. The animated movie Superman vs. Doomsday provided a good model. Superman maintained his character but fought a villain who matched his physical abilities. It made for great entertainment. We want to see Superman reach his limitations in epic battle against real evil. As Kevin Smith said before, "I want to see Superman punch something." They don't need to go dark, they just need Superman to fight an equal.
Kain
Kain - 10/4/2008, 8:30 PM
First of all I agree and disagree with all of you. I must say 2 things...

1, yeah I'm sick of Lex Luthor at least in the movies anyway, it has been done to death. But in the comics and in the TV series Smallville Lex Luthor is brilliant. I agree that Superman needs a REAL fight like in Superman 2 (fight with Zod) I'm not sure which Superman comic it was but Apocalypse kidnaps Supergirl i think, anyway Superman and Apocalypse kick the hell out of each other and in the end Superman wins. Now thats what we need to see in the next Superman movie, Superman going Hammer And Tong with some massive and stronger villain, Lex is cool but in the movies he's a bit gay (oh look i've got a bit of Kryptonite in my hand, thump) oh come on people cant you see that movie Lex has nothing on the Lex in Smallville or in the comics, movie Lex is so gay. (no offense to gay people ha ha)...

and that brings me nicely to my second point, for all of you who think Superman cant be dark OH SHUT UP... in movies 2 and 3 theres a hint of darkness and in Superman Returns they made it very dark and moody. Superman felt more alone than usual and he was sick of being a hero, it turned him moody to the point that the only way he could escape the cries for help was if he flew up to space, or if he was with Lois. In Superman Returns his heart ached or was empty making him the most darkest Superman so far.. I loved Superman Returns. its dark like the comics and evem the TV Show Smallville is dark. The number one rule of Superman is that he does noes kill. He can still be dark, WAKE UP PEOPLE just read the comics they are hinting at darkness with Superman mostly good on one hand and then on the other hand the comics go completely the other way and have Superman very dark and well hard. cant you see it...

Anyway thats my views on Superman 6 :). oh and I've just finsihed Smallvile Season 7 one thing COME ON WB DC GET OFF YOUR BUTTS AND GET CLARK FLYING FOR GOD SAKE ITS BEEN 7 YEARS!!!
Grapplingguy
Grapplingguy - 10/5/2008, 1:01 AM
The new guy here,

I do want to see superman pushed around some in the next film, but you know how they've been using the clean cut, nice guy for the movies...Well I want them to scrap that image and use a guy like Batista or some one who looks like he woke up on the wrong side of the bed and is a little bit pissed off. You know what I mean? Like the Doomsday vs Superman feud. Where the hair's a bit longer and he's like 6'6, 280lb. I want to see a Superman that is physically intimidating. He needs to play the role like Chris Reeves did, keep the morals and attitude and stuff, but be built like a super heavy weight wrestler and trigger spiderman's senses based upon appearance alone. Then a little green rock wont be scary and they would have to get a more intimidating bad guy. Anyone dig?
TheDurkinKnight
TheDurkinKnight - 10/5/2008, 9:42 PM
Okay, here is my take...and I want feedback...without instruction for me to go to hell btw: A lot of people seemed to like Spacey's take on Luthor, and I think those people like it cause he was playing a campy Lex, like Hackman did. However, I think that's horrible for modern audiences. I think they should play him as he is on Smallville. Honestly I think Smallville should be made into a movie franchise, but for now lets concentrate on Lex. Now when I say that Lex should be dark and sinister, people say "that's now how Lex is" and I think they are thinking about the old movies, because in the COMICS which is the true source material, Lex Luthor is a murderer, a cold-blooded killer who is NOT FUNNY. Watching Mike Rosenbaum as Lex on Smallville was the FIRST TIME I ever found the character to be intimidating (besides the 90's cartoon). He was a sociopath who had no problem lying, killing, extorting and blackmailing.

Now as for the whole "dark tone" I don't think that would be good, but keep in mind, Returns WAS dark: the colors, the tone, the mood, the fact Supes was stalking his ex-lover. And, I'm sorry, but I have no clue HOW ANYONE could enjoy that movie, I thought it was one of the worst movies I've seen in years, the ONLY cool part was where Supes saves the plane. I was rooting for Richard more than Big Blue Stalker! The ONLY justification I can find, is that the people who love Superman Returns must be either: A)Die Hard fans who love it out of obligation (like I would a sucky Batman movie) or B)People who are unaware of Superman lore and don't realize they are ENTITLED to so much more than that!

Finally I cant understand WHY Spacey would be in another movie since I thought it was a reboot, unless cheap ass Warner Bros just doesn't wanna buy him outta his contract. At any rate, they need to amp up the action and kick Singer out of the picture, as well as everything that he had to do with while making thiss move. Start fresh and possibly go with Welling and Rosenbaum!!

PS even tho Smallville has lacked quality recently, you GOTTA give em props for TRYING to be creative, they've had a lot of action and some heavy hitters from the comics too. This season, Doomsday is going to show up! I can't wait!
Scottymagic
Scottymagic - 10/5/2008, 10:26 PM
I think smallville portrayal of lex was by far the best take ive seen along with the lex from supes the animated series. Reason i liked spacey was he was honouring hackman whilst going abit darker and being abit truer to the role of luthor, his shortcomings being the jokey bits and the ultimate inevitable plot revolving around real estate. So agreed more villainous lex please with less joke sidekicks.

Returns was as dark as supes should be i think it got that aspect right its faults stemed from lack of threat in terms of villainary (sure he was stabbed and had to get rid of a mountain of the one thing that can kill him but exactly a climactic fight scene), also the unneccessary superkid and poor excuse for lois but they can all be recast or forgotten.

The ONE thing that makes me wary of a reboot is the score to be frank but i wont lose faith in a direct sequel as long as they recast lois, darken lex's character, justify the superkid and have him punch something even if its just a papperazzi whose killed instantly.

With smallville i have a like/hate relationship with it, its stall tatics and lame love triangles and faux dramas have been recycled and done to death and its painfull, i didnt care for the freak of the week beginnings but at least it was justifiable i prefer now we are getting more DCU connection and interpretations but it needs to feel like its going somewhere, i still watch it though which says it all, lex was smallville though.
Powergirl
Powergirl - 10/6/2008, 9:02 AM
Hey, was Lex Luthor in Superman III? The one with Richard Pryor?
jordomac
jordomac - 10/6/2008, 11:11 AM
Good observation, but no he wasn't. It was the fact that this site suggests that lex was in all 5 movies so far that actually made register an account with comicbookmovie.com so i could tell them that but you appear to have just barely beat me to it. Granted the villains Character is more or less identical to the Lex Luthor of the rest of the movies. Rich, Spiteful employing some boob and having an untrustworthy mistress
TheDurkinKnight
TheDurkinKnight - 10/6/2008, 4:04 PM
You're right Scotty, they have done some of the Smallville elements to death. What I have to say tho, is that I never liked Supes all that much until I started watching Smallville, cause it gave him some depth, and made him more identifiable than just the ultimate super-hero. It kinda fleshed him out. And while the show has lost a lot of heart in recent years, I think the chemistry between him and Lois is top notch. It's awesome to finally see the two of them working in the Planet...hey JORDAN HEATH what would you think of Ben Foster taking up the role of Joker in Batman 3?
movieteaser
movieteaser - 10/6/2008, 6:17 PM
lol ... that why i registered as well to say he wasnt in the thrid one... lol guess i should of read all that first. i think the should do brainiac for next then follow with with doomsday.. as for the next batman i think johnny depp would be great as the riddler.
Kain
Kain - 10/10/2008, 1:52 PM
I agree with TheDurkinKnight when he said "Honestly I think Smallville should be made into a movie franchise" Sure it would be something like 6 movies but that will give Superman a lot more depth to him.

I also disagree with TheDurkinKnight, after Heath Ledger's phenomenal take on the Joker nobody can ever ever play the Joker ever again.
DustyM81
DustyM81 - 10/12/2008, 7:55 PM
New guy here. My take on Superman Returns is that the movie failed b/c it's hard to take seriously a guy who wants to kill a billion people if he's played campy. If they really want to reboot the franchise, the next movie could continue on the foundation Singer built... but I think we should get a Lex Luthor origin story built in. The viewer needs to know why we should be afraid of the guy. Use Kevin Spacey's talent. I don't think it's a huge transition now to a darker Luthor.. but once that is established we need a brighter Superman. He needs to be a symbol of hope as the world around him becomes unimaginably dark. That's who Superman is. So maybe Luthor can play the background villain while we get Brainiac/Darkseid as the primary (having followed him back from Krypton).
kebprime
kebprime - 11/17/2008, 4:59 PM
Why isn't Darkseid in that poll!?!?!?!
Triptheorist
Triptheorist - 11/19/2008, 12:53 PM
Kevin Spacey is a wonderful actor, who just happened to be placed in what i felt to be a bad role. The character felt ill-defined(a little too much based on the original movies), and it would be in his best interest to move on. As a for who i think would be a great replacement... Clancy Brown(the highlander, starship troopers) Think more like President Luther, instead of slick conman.
Colossus8
Colossus8 - 12/1/2008, 11:56 AM
ok i know dat Lex Luthor is Superman's main bad guy but putting him in every superman movie and making him the main villian is getting really boring
there are others to choose from like Brainiac, Doomsday, Darkseid, Toyman, Bizarro, Zod, Cyborg Superman and the list goes on and on Please be a lil creative
kalel2009
kalel2009 - 12/24/2008, 11:51 AM
Errrr Excuse Me Since When Did Lex Luthor Appear In All "5" Superman Films ? He Appeared In Supereman 1,2,4 and Returns So How Do You Get All 5 ?
Jimdlux
Jimdlux - 2/24/2010, 11:02 AM
Luthor wasn't the villain in 3!
Zod4president
Zod4president - 7/17/2010, 4:30 PM
Personally imo in order to move on to the next film luthor needs to be in the next one. Hopefully they kill him off (GASP!)..I really wished Brian Singer wasnt the one to be doing the next film! He has so many holes in his take on the series..HE wants you to think that Superman returns is just an addon to the other 4 but imo they are not...the opening scenes in itself proves it in black an white.You mention Superman 3 in this thread, besides the fact that Luthor wasnt in Superman 3,alot of people have overlooked the fact that Clarks Mother was indeed dead in Superman 3...but now in SUperman returns she is alive and well? W...T...F..? How could Brian Singer over look such a huge fact? AND with this fact how could he justify tying Superman returns as a sequel to the Original Superman movie series when it really has nothing to do with the original series? NONE of the characters in the movie are close to being anything like the original characters...so how is that a sequel? $$$$$$$$$$$$$ Would someone who actually cares about this Character and know more about the movie series other then the cool opening credits make a movie please?
thetrubatman14
thetrubatman14 - 8/21/2010, 3:09 PM
BILLY ZANE SHOULD BE LEX LUTHOR!!! also i think he should be the villian in nolans remake because he is a huge part of the superman franchise but i would like to see lex luthor and Ultra-Humanite should be the main bad guys. with a cameo of the prankster, Mister Mxyzptlk, solomon grundy, and Brainiac at the end for he can be the main bad in the sequel with bizarro. how about that for a movie =) and the 3rd one is all up to nolan =) i say bring batman in the 3rd one and battle a huge foe for you can get the jsutice leage together!!! dam i should be a writer or producer +))))
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