It kind of goes without saying that Lex and Superman are like yin and yang. Luthor is Superman’s foremost foil. Even though I strongly favour that Lex appear in the reboot, I am in no way implying that he be the main antagonist. Brainiac or Metallo are amongst some of the logical choices to give Superman a run for his money.
How exactly could Lex fit into the grand scheme of things? There is certainly very little argument that the character of Lex should be a billionaire. I am going to draw a comparison to indicate how this version of Lex for a refreshed series can work. Steve Buscemi plays the role of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson in HBO’s
Boardwalk Empire. Nucky is essentially a businessman and political figure, but he has various politicians and mob figures in his pocket. His brother is even sheriff of the county. The series is set in Atlantic City during the prohibition era of the 1920s. Despite Nucky’s high profile public view, he is in fact running the bootleg business, is involved in other illegal activities, and even orders hits to eliminate any rivalry. He maintains a clean face for the public view. To the public, he IS a good guy, an asset whom they like.
So Lex, in some sense, is like Nucky. He has mob connections and affiliations with government and political figures. The public perceive Lex as a kind humanitarian – no doubt since Lex owns most of the media (including TV and printed press) companies.
Therefore, like Nucky, Lex would be a behind the scenes figure. He would be akin to a puppet master pulling the strings of various puppet characters. Lex certainly is extremely intelligent. He is capable of engineering robotics and other forms of technology. In the comics and animated TV series, his lack of super powers compelled him to create battle armor in order to level the playing field against Superman. Whilst many fans are against the use of Lex as a villain in the reboot, it does not imply that he cannot have a role in the movie. In this regard, he would be the “Nucky Thompson” of the Superman reboot; however his direct involvement would be limited. Therefore, with Lex taking a back seat (but still present), the ideal opportunity for throwing in a super-powered evil force presents itself. The list of foes is long. Metallo, Bizarro and Mongol certainly would supply a means of providing profuse action. However, there is a villain that is strongly favored by fans: Brainiac.
The plot becomes extremely cerebral if Brainiac is the main antagonist. Brainiac acts by design: he surgically calculates a desired course of action. His methods are logical and cognitive. Brainiac’s presence poses a threat to all of humanity. It also ties in to the destruction of Krypton and worlds beyond that of Earth. Defeating this adversary will require intellectual strategy in addition to profuse action sequences, and showcases that the Man of Steel’s possesses abilities besides that of physical strength and power.
Brainiac’s approach is strongly based on logic and technology. He can truly perceive himself as an unparralled mind. Even though Lex has a phenomenal mental aptitude, he does not come close to Brainiac’s cerebral prowess. Most fans would say that Lex’s power is his intelligence. Whilst that is true to a point, Lex’s real power is actually his creativity. Brainiac may be smarter then Lex, but Lex’s imagination is what makes him such a formidable opponent to Superman. Perhaps some may disagree, but Brainiac holds no candle to Lex’s creativity. Imagine Lex, like Nucky, being involved and controlling almost everything going on in Metropolis, from nominating who he thinks should run for mayor to manipulating characters like John Corben. If Lex controls the mayor, he controls the city. Lex plans for all contingencies. If a plan for trying to kill Superman fails, he would have already worked out an alternative approach that is superior. Lex's approach is usually more subtle than Brainiac's, but nonetheless, he is able to use that subtly to great advantage. Bizarro may not be the most favourable choice for a villain, but if he was, he is going to need someone to point him in the direction of Superman. Lex could use Bizarro to tarnish Superman’s reputation.
Brainiac is definitely a contender to play Superman’s foe. The problem with action movies is that sometimes they become visual candyfloss.
X-Men 3 is a prime example of this notion. This film’s makers decided to go for style over substance. As a result, character development was hindered. In order for a Superman movie to work successfully, there needs to be a balance with action and drama. Whilst Brainiac no doubt is quite capable of providing both on his own, including Lex would undoubtedly enhance the narrative. Lex does not to be the direct threat. That purpose would be that of Brainiac’s (or who ever the super villain is). However, Lex is as much a part of Superman mythos as Superman himself. Completely excluding him from the movie can work, but as Superman’s unrivalled foil and arch enemy, he truly deserves a part in the reboot, albeit a minor one.