McG Says Robert Downey Jr Would Have Played Lex Luthor In His Superman Movie

McG Says Robert Downey Jr Would Have Played Lex Luthor In His Superman Movie

Director McG sat down and talked a little bit about his vision for his Superman movie Flyby, including casting The Avengers star Robert Downey Jr as Lex Luthor and that he was looking at Henry Cavill as Superman.

By WaylonJones - Feb 20, 2012 08:02 AM EST
Filed Under: Superman


While talking with Playlist director McG talked about his and J.J. Abrams Superman project, Flyby. He had to drop the project after refusing to film the movie in Australia, and sites a fear of flying as to why he wouldn't do it. There was also no casting done of the film, but he did say that he like Henry Cavill as Superman "a lot and that they did have one actor all locked up to play The Man Of Steel's main nemesis Lex Luthor. "We had Robert Downey Jr. locked up to be Lex Luthor, which I think would have been extraordinary," he said.

McG said that the first film perfectly set up a trilogy of films saying, "J.J. wrote the script, and we got that to a really good place in the end." But he also takes full responsibility for why the film never happened saying, "I’m to blame for [the film not happening].". With Downey a lock to play Lex and Cavill as Supes, Flyby is only left to the imagination now. Sound off your thoughts on how you thought the good vs. evil chemistry of the two would have worked in the comment boxes below.

To check out the rest of the interview where he talks about Terminator Salvation click HERE

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PaulRom
PaulRom - 2/20/2012, 8:23 AM
Interesting choice. Can't say I really like the idea a lot though.
theslenderman
theslenderman - 2/20/2012, 8:33 AM
Uhh i'm a little confused. Was this going to be a Superman reboot type of thing, or what?
Aeyan
Aeyan - 2/20/2012, 8:34 AM
McG is a bona fide moron! Hence 'Terminator: Salvation'. I rest my case.
PaulRom
PaulRom - 2/20/2012, 8:34 AM
@comicbookpayne Yeah it was gonna be a reboot. Glad it didn't happen though.
95
95 - 2/20/2012, 8:39 AM
He would make a satisfying Lex Luthor.

But I'm glad he's Iron Man.

McG? 'Salvation' bored me.
Starktech
Starktech - 2/20/2012, 8:40 AM
Dr. Keith Ablow for Lex Luthor. Google image this guy.
theslenderman
theslenderman - 2/20/2012, 8:43 AM
I can't really picture RDJ bald..
JoNathanPetrelli
JoNathanPetrelli - 2/20/2012, 8:45 AM
" When offered the director's chair, Bryan Singer rejected J.J. Abrams script as too far a departure from the source material. Abrams story re-imagined Superman as a Kryptonian prince sent to earth as a baby to avoid an impending civil war between king Jor-El and his brother Kata-Zor. Raised as Midwestern teen Clark Kent, and in love with his high school sweetheart Lois, Superman becomes humanity's defender when Kata-Zor invades Earth, aided by CIA Agent Lex Luthor, who is actually a Kryptonian in disguise. The film ended with Superman returning to Krypton to rule over his people after the death of Jor-El."

Yeah, McG was the reason this didn't happen. Not the shitty script...
thalidomide
thalidomide - 2/20/2012, 8:48 AM
Good thing RDJ is already Iron Man
monstalova
monstalova - 2/20/2012, 8:52 AM
Downey jnr wud have made a good Lex but the script was way off! Cant change the whole backstory and characters?!
Optimus83
Optimus83 - 2/20/2012, 8:53 AM
Iron Man to play Lex Luthor jajajajjaajjaa, sou funny McG
Shaman
Shaman - 2/20/2012, 8:55 AM
For some reason, this guy's featured on my "don't care" list, right under Mark Millar and Rob Liefeld. I just can't put my finger on why... Oh, Salvation! Okay, figured it out.
TheIconicMan
TheIconicMan - 2/20/2012, 8:57 AM
Ah, Come on! Robert Downey Jr. bald?
santoanderson
santoanderson - 2/20/2012, 9:04 AM
Typical McG bandwagon horseshit. Nobody was willing to hire Downey before Iron Man, and I think McG's just making this up to make himself sound current.

He and Ratner are cut from the same cloth.
95
95 - 2/20/2012, 9:09 AM
@joNathanPetrelli

Well, in that case, JJ Abrams as a screenwriter is even more laughable to me.
JohnTom88
JohnTom88 - 2/20/2012, 9:12 AM
Anthony Edward Stark > Lex Lollipop Luthor
ISleepNow
ISleepNow - 2/20/2012, 9:36 AM
McG is such a dick, even Wuss Whedon looks good compared to him

hammerofharpel
hammerofharpel - 2/20/2012, 9:42 AM
I am SO sick of Lex Luthor as the villain. Every single Superman does Lex and its getting tiring (Superman I, II, IV, Smallville, Lois and Clark, Superman Returns, Superman Animated, Justice League and on and on and on). How many more variations do we need of Lex Luthor!.
Having said that, Superman doesn't have the villain gallery of Batman but he does have the likes of characters like Darkseid and I for one want a Superman movie without ever seeing Luthor.
Shadowelfz
Shadowelfz - 2/20/2012, 9:44 AM
Flyby? I hope thats just the name of the project. It would have been a really stupid name for a Superman movie.

Oh, and I love RDJ but Lex Luthor... very bad choice.
BIGBMH
BIGBMH - 2/20/2012, 9:54 AM
I'm not sure how well RDJ would have done in the role, but I envision a movie Lex kind of like an evil Tony Stark, so maybe he could have done it.
thewonderer
thewonderer - 2/20/2012, 10:13 AM
I find it funny how people are all against this, but everyone was totally fine with Batman killing in the Burton films

Burton blows, his Batman films were jokes, his superman idea laughable, and almost all of his films suck (besides Nightmare, which he didn't even direct)
nuck82
nuck82 - 2/20/2012, 10:28 AM
bullshit choice, billy zane was born to play lex! rdj has been the perfect tony since he hit his mid 30s. and or when he became a big coke head
JackJNapier
JackJNapier - 2/20/2012, 11:24 AM
i agree with nuck, i have a hard on for zane.
thaonly1guly
thaonly1guly - 2/20/2012, 11:29 AM
Billy Zane is the man!!! Not really sure why people on here keep saying he is a bad actor...I recommend some go watch his movies again.
KingEmperor
KingEmperor - 2/20/2012, 12:09 PM
I would take him more seriously if he used his full name, instead of just "McG". I understand that he used to be a record producer, but he's a director now. What are we, 12?
ManOfKrypton
ManOfKrypton - 2/20/2012, 12:10 PM
McG STFU!!! You're an awful director!
SpideyQuad
SpideyQuad - 2/20/2012, 12:21 PM
Yeah right, and X-Men 3 was actually a good movie.

This guy should stick to what he's good at, making stupid not funny cop movies, on 2nd thought he should just retire.

As Griff would say…
PaulRom
PaulRom - 2/20/2012, 1:08 PM
To me, JJ Abrams is one of the best directors/writers in the industry. So I was really shocked to see how awful his Superman script was. WAY too unfaithful to the source material. Best thing I heard about the movie was that Henry Cavill could have played Superman then instead of now.
kamikazeturtle
kamikazeturtle - 2/20/2012, 1:27 PM
McG is a talentless, idiotic hack. I'm so glad he wimped out on this movie. Abrams is no Nolan or Whedon but I liked his Star Trek and his shows have usually been fairly good (even Felicity). But his idea would've been painfully horrible. I saw the concept art too and it's really out there. As an AU graphic novel it could be an interesting take if done well. But as a Superman movie it's ridiculous and expensive.

As much as I enjoy bashing Singer, I do appreciate that he didn't go as crazy as these guys or Burton (I didn't enjoy his Batman films or Superman idea either). He failed miserably but at least he didn't *intentionally* butcher the story. And RDJ is talented enough that I'd at least reserve judgment until watching his performance.
RocketMadnessBoss
RocketMadnessBoss - 2/20/2012, 1:43 PM
Oh god. Ew.
mgeoff88
mgeoff88 - 2/20/2012, 1:52 PM
Wow, that would have been interesting. I tried picturing RDJ bald. He doesn't look much like Lex.

With his acting chops he would have played him very well though.

I'm not crazy about flying either, but that is an amazing opportunity for a filmmaker. If that was me, I would have flown to Australia without a second thought.
SpiderFan35
SpiderFan35 - 2/20/2012, 2:15 PM
Stick to music videos McG.

Here's my casting choice for the Superman movie that I'm never going to make either:



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