The Official Lex Luthor Casting Thread - Part 8

[DKDetective]

An older White guy would be a better fit for the stereotypical CEO or at what comes to mind when you think of CEOs of big businesses. That would be "real".

Generally yes and you can see that in the Byrne version of the character who is middle aged, overweight and naturally BALDING, but in terms of high tech industries and the ruthless inventor/magnate hybrid that even more recent depictions of Lex seem to draw from, younger white males are probably just as iconic. Eg. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and their ilk.

Personally, I'm also a little uncomfortable with casting a minority actor as Lex because it may have unintended racial undertones (if they go with the slum upbringing backstory) and the character becomes another stereotypical minority gangster/thug if not written correctly. Minorities still have a hard enough time breaking into the highest reaches of corporate America and are still heavily underrepresented there, I don't know if it is a good idea to portray one of them as part of the worst excesses of that world when Hollywood is still greatly lacking in positive depictions of successful minority characters. But that is whole another can of worms.

 

[DKDetective]

Nope. Hackman is a little dumpy and not particularly attractive. Denzel has an athletic build and is conventionally handsome. Advantage Denzel.

You do know that Pre-Crisis Lex was often depicted as relatively unattractive and sometimes overweight.

 

[T"Challa]

lol..If Denzel showed up at WB's door and campaigned to play Lex Luthor..i highly doubt they would turn him down. All u gotta do is watch Training Day and American Gangster to know that he would crush it as Lex.

 

[Kevin Smith]

Generally yes and you can see that in the Byrne version of the character who is middle aged, overweight and naturally BALDING, but in terms of high tech industries and the ruthless inventor/magnate hybrid that even more recent depictions of Lex seem to draw from, younger white males are probably just as iconic. Eg. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and their ilk.

Personally, I'm also a little uncomfortable with casting a minority actor as Lex because it may have unintended racial undertones (if they go with the slum upbringing backstory) and the character becomes another stereotypical minority gangster/thug if not written correctly. Minorities still have a hard enough time breaking into the highest reaches of corporate America and are still heavily underrepresented there, I don't know if it is a good idea to portray one of them as part of the worst excesses of that world when Hollywood is still greatly lacking in positive depictions of successful minority characters. But that is whole another can of worms.

I agree.

But I thought Byrne's Lex was balding from the kryptonite ring he wore and that's when it really started to take effect? Or maybe I'm wrong...

There was this one Byrne Luthor story I'd love to see in a film where he tortures this one waitress just for the hell of it and promises her wealth and millions if she comes and spends a month with him doing whatever he pleases and gives her ten minutes to agree to it and come and meet him in his limo outside where he's waiting, as she ponders it in the time allotted, she calls her husband to talk about it but Luthor leaves before the ten minutes is up (8 in or something). And she never knows what could have been.

It was great.

 

[Kevin Smith]

lol..If Denzel showed up at WB's door and campaigned to play Lex Luthor..i highly doubt they would turn him down. All u gotta do is watch Training Day and American Gangster to know that he would crush it as Lex.

That's when I introduce him to a little movie called Justice League and John Stewart GL.

That, he would crush. But I want someone who can be "angrier" for John, Denzel is too "cool".

 

[Eddie Dean]

 

[ElDuderino]

What could be incredibly interesting would be Tom Cruise. Now just hear me out. Cruise is probably one of the most easily likable actors of all time. He can play the billionaire, charismatic business man easy. But then, he has this very creepy, almost bizarre evil side as well. He can play insane. And I think Lex has to be this multiple personality type. Cruise playing an insane, hell-bent Luthor that has this quiet rage to destroy Superman would be pretty cool.

 

[MrMaooz]

What could be incredibly interesting would be Tom Cruise. Now just hear me out. Cruise is probably one of the most easily likable actors of all time. He can play the billionaire, charismatic business man easy. But then, he has this very creepy, almost bizarre evil side as well. He can play insane. And I think Lex has to be this multiple personality type. Cruise playing an insane, hell-bent Luthor that has this quiet rage to destroy Superman would be pretty cool.

I'm up for it! He was amazing as Les Grossman!

 

[Majik1387]

I think Cruise would own the role, but he might come across as a serious version of his Tropic Thunder character

 

[Eddie Dean]

Cruise seems like stunt casting, but still a really, really, really good choice.

 

[MrMaooz]

Have him play Les Grossman 2.0.

 

[DKDetective]

My preferences are still Damian Lewis, Jason Clarke, Matt Damon, and Michael C. Hall. Solid actors who are a bit younger and can give us a brilliant, yet twisted and amoral Lex who is a self-made inventor/CEO type. Essentially an extreme version of Steve Jobs or Bill Gates back in the day.

 

[Sawyer]

Dean Norris.

"Jesus Christ, Mercy..."

 

[Lencho01]

Generally yes and you can see that in the Byrne version of the character who is middle aged, overweight and naturally BALDING, but in terms of high tech industries and the ruthless inventor/magnate hybrid that even more recent depictions of Lex seem to draw from, younger white males are probably just as iconic. Eg. Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and their ilk.

Personally, I'm also a little uncomfortable with casting a minority actor as Lex because it may have unintended racial undertones (if they go with the slum upbringing backstory) and the character becomes another stereotypical minority gangster/thug if not written correctly. Minorities still have a hard enough time breaking into the highest reaches of corporate America and are still heavily underrepresented there, I don't know if it is a good idea to portray one of them as part of the worst excesses of that world when Hollywood is still greatly lacking in positive depictions of successful minority characters. But that is whole another can of worms.

I'd count Jobs and Gates as old White guys fitting with what one would expect a CEO like Lex too look like.

I guess that could happen. Evil minority versus the White superhero and all that. Since Goyer's involved, I'd expect some thug backstory behind Lex ala Kingpin in Daredevil regardless of his race.

I don't care much enough for this version of Superman to be bothered by it. Though, it would be interesting to see how this film influences the comics or at least future writers of the comics.

 

[KillerMcQueen]

Kenneth Branagh maybe?

and since we just had that giant race debate i'll throw in some just for the heck of it casting.
Jason Scott Lee

 

[Eddie Dean]

Dean Norris.

"Jesus Christ, Mercy..."

"...they're not rocks! They're Kryptonite!"

 

[DKDetective]

I'd count Jobs and Gates as old White guys fitting with what one would expect a CEO like Lex too look like.

In the recent past, sure. I'm thinking more so of the Jobs and Gates of the 1980s and early 1990s when they made their names and fortunes.

 

[Lencho01]

lol..If Denzel showed up at WB's door and campaigned to play Lex Luthor..i highly doubt they would turn him down. All u gotta do is watch Training Day and American Gangster to know that he would crush it as Lex.

If they can't get him, they can get Jay Pharaoh...

[YT]fdlDnRhIjaQ[/YT]

 

[FlawlessVictory]

"...they're not rocks! They're Kryptonite!"

 

[golfguy22]

Kevin, I never said he couldn't be white, I just wanted to explain that he could be another race. I am only concerned with WB getting a talented, decently-built actor who could portray Lex. His race is of no concern to me.

 

[Lencho01]

In the recent past, sure. I'm thinking more so of the Jobs and Gates of the 1980s and early 1990s when they made their names and fortunes.

Ah, I gotcha.

Though, I feel Lex works better being older rather than someone in their 20s as we can see it possible these days. Probably due to the "experience" one would assume an older person has. Similar to Lionel Luthor on Smallville.

 

[ElDuderino]

I think Cruise would own the role, but he might come across as a serious version of his Tropic Thunder character

Well, yeah, a serious version of this Tropic Thunder character would be chilling. Have him do some appalling acts of violence, terror, what have you -- then turn around and play pretty boy good guy billionaire to the media. It would make an incredible Lex Luthor.

 

[golfguy22]

And about the decently-built part, I prefer Lex as his more recent portrayal as a man striving for almost "human perfection" (peak body and mind).

 

[manofsteel4life]

I like Tom but I just don't think his voice is deep enough....he would own it though

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

I think that whomever is cast it's safe to say there will be those who will object amongst the fans until they see that BTS/set picture or first look footage, ect. I am probably in that group. I don't have a top 5 list or anything, so chances are when that announcement is made I will have to be convinced by what ever is the finished product.