Superman’s Lex Luthor Is the Most Comic Accurate Villain Ever

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The movie featuring Superman has surpassed expectations and embodies all the elements expected from a summer blockbuster. Its main asset lies in its captivating characters, with David Corenswet delivering an outstanding performance as both Clark Kent and Superman, showcasing their human and heroic aspects respectively. Rachel Brosnahan brings Lois Lane to vibrant life, embodying her courage and intelligence. Skyler Gisondo steals every scene he’s in as Jimmy Olsen, while Edi Gathegi and Nathan Fillion also shine as Mister Terrific and Guy Gardner respectively. Character development has always been James Gunn’s forte, and the film thrives on the quality of its writing, acting, and direction. All characters are reasonably comic-accurate, but Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor is not only spot-on but also the most accurate supervillain portrayal in superhero movie history.

In essence, superhero films, particularly those within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, have faced numerous challenges throughout their existence. Although there are undeniably some fantastic villains in the MCU as well as other comic book universes, labeling them as strictly faithful to the comics is generally a stretch. Even when characters like Thanos excel, they deviate significantly from their comic book counterparts. However, the portrayal of Lex Luthor in the Superman films embodies the essence of the character as depicted in the comics perfectly. Lex Luthor is one of DC Comics’ most iconic figures, and this cinematic adaptation truly captures his greatness, bringing it vividly to life on screen.

SPOILER ALERT — This Article Will Contain Spoilers for Superman

Superman‘s Lex Luthor Stepped Out of the Comics in a Way No Other Movie Villain Has

In my opinion, it’s quite challenging for villains in superhero films to shine as they do in comics. What I love about superhero comic books is that the villains receive equal attention and development as the heroes. Many villains are intricately crafted, moving beyond their evil schemes and monstrous actions to become fully-fleshed characters. This is more challenging to achieve in films due to limited screen time and the movies’ primary focus on hero development. After all, it’s the heroes whose names are splashed across posters, so they naturally receive the most attention.

However, this focus on the hero often results in underdeveloped villains, which can be quite disappointing. A prime example is Lex Luthor from Superman. The version portrayed by Gunn manages to embody the true essence of the Lex Luthor from the comics. He blends the corporate Lex from the post-Crisis DC Universe with the mad scientist from the Silver Age. To me, this Lex Luthor resembles the one from Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing run. In a single issue of Swamp Thing (Vol. 2) #52, Lex is hired by the government to stop Swamp Thing’s rampage through Gotham. Using science that no one would have thought of or had the courage to attempt, he quickly blasts Swamp Thing’s consciousness away. This same kind of innovative and daring science is also employed by Superman’s Lex Luthor.

Beyond just that, the manner in which this character manipulates Superman’s triggers – notably when Superman invades his office seeking Krypto – mirrors classic comic book villain Lex Luthor, reminding us of the Luthor portrayed in the early 2000s, a time when he had to collaborate with Superman. This on-screen Luthor never missed an opportunity to throw subtle jabs at the Man of Steel. The film also incorporates elements of Grant Morrison’s Lex Luthor from JLA, as Luthor employs corporate strategies in the movie to undermine Superman, similar to his actions in the comic where he targeted the League. In the Rock of Ages storyline, for instance. He views Superman as a competitor, attempting to launch rival products, seeking government funding, and engaging in underhanded corporate sabotage tactics. The creation of Ultraman, a Superman clone, is a direct reference to post-Crisis Superman comics. These elements are all drawn from comic books, and when you venture into Luthor’s personal universe (a potential world-ender if his calculations were off), you find a black site prison/lab – a scenario reminiscent of modern comics. Indeed, it feels like All-Star Superman, where Lex collaborates with Solaris the Tyrant Sun to endanger Earth in an attempt to eliminate Superman completely. Director Gunn has meticulously mined comic book history for ideas about Lex Luthor and brought them to life on screen. The arrogance, petty nature, charisma, unflappability when things go his way, and child-like rage when they don’t are all quintessential Lex Luthor traits.

Superman‘s Lex Luthor Shows Just How Great Comic Accurate Villains Can Be

In watching “Superman”, I was impressed by James Gunn’s skillful adaptation of the Superman comics to the silver screen, despite the alterations in character portrayals. This knack for maintaining comic authenticity, particularly in crafting compelling villains, is a hallmark of Gunn’s filmmaking. Lex Luthor from “Superman” was exceptionally captivating, embodying every essence of his comic counterpart. His climactic speech about Superman being a threat to humanity, reminiscent of “All-Star Superman” #5, is a testament to this. The way he subtly implies that Superman evokes feelings of inferiority within him is a masterful representation, mirroring the comic’s portrayal perfectly. This embodiment of Lex Luthor underscores his superiority over other comic book movie villains.

In the comics, Lex Luthor is a multidimensional character, and the film does an impressive job of portraying this without delving too much into his backstory at the start. From the get-go, the on-screen Lex mirrors my mental image of him from the comics, thanks to the acting style, mannerisms, and voice of Nicholas Hoult.

Often, elements of comic book villains are omitted in movies due to being deemed “silly” or illogical. However, this adaptation of Superman manages to include all aspects of Lex Luthor, demonstrating that even the most intricate details from the comics can be successfully translated onto the screen. This portrayal of Lex Luthor is likely to bring joy to long-time Superman fans and potentially revolutionize the way villains are presented in comic book movies.

Superman is in theaters now.

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2025-07-12 16:13