LexCorp or LuthorCorp? Both have been used over the years, but it was Smallville that popularised the latter and inspired James Gunn to use it in this summer's Superman movie.
Responding to a fan on Threads, the filmmaker confirmed we can "Thank Smallville" for the change when it was put to him that it makes no sense for Lex to use his first name for the company he runs. Later, someone countered that Lex being such an egomaniac means he'd definitely use his name over his family's.
Gunn replied, "Well, someone's last name is more rare than a person's first name. So it makes sense to me he would name it LuthorCorp and not LexCorp."
The filmmaker has previously said that he also wanted to leave the door open to Lex's mother or father being featured in a future story. That could come as soon as Man of Tomorrow, especially as someone will have needed to step up and take the reins of LuthorCorp while Lex was behind bars.
Gunn is a big fan of the villain, revealing that he sees himself in Lex. The character, played by Nicholas Hoult, will return in the upcoming Superman sequel for a team-up with Clark Kent as they look to save Metropolis from an invading Brainiac.
"It is a story about Lex Luthor and Superman having to work together to a certain degree against a much, much bigger threat," Gunn shared earlier this year. "And it’s more complicated than that, but that’s a big part of it. It’s as much a Lex movie as it is a Superman movie."
Hoult recently revealed that Man of Tomorrow begins shooting in April, and called Gunn's script "awesome." You can hear more from him here.
Superman, DC Studios' first feature film to hit the big screen, soared into theaters worldwide this past summer from Warner Bros. Pictures.
In his signature style, James Gunn takes on the original superhero in the newly imagined DC universe with a singular blend of epic action, humor and heart, delivering a Superman who’s driven by compassion and an inherent belief in the goodness of humankind.
The movie stars David Corenswet in the dual role of Superman/Clark Kent, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.
"Superman is an indescribable joy," we said in our review, published when the movie arrived in theaters. "A beautiful, moving thrill, David Corenswet is the perfect Man of Steel in a movie packed full of ideas. Fortunately, under James Gunn’s expert direction, all of those work, creating a rousing experience that flies higher than DC has in a very long time."
Superman is now available on HBO Max, Digital, and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD.