A new Superman & Lois season 3 image reveals a first look at Michael Cudlitz as Lex Luthor. The classic Superman villain has been adapted to live-action multiple times, and the latest incarnation will be introduced this season on Superman & Lois. Previously, Jon Cryer played the Arrowverse’s version of Lex Luthor, debuting on Supergirl before taking part in the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover. However, because Superman & Lois has since been established as taking place in a different universe, the villain needed to be recast.
Now, EW has revealed the first look at Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor, which can be viewed in the image below. It has not yet been announced when in Superman & Lois season 3 Cudlitz will debut as Lex Luthor, with EW only stating it will be later on this season.
EW also spoke to Cudlitz about joining Superman & Lois as the iconic Man of Steel villain. In addition to speaking highly of the show’s two leads and crew, the actor offered his take on Luthor, saying he thinks the villain has always been “misunderstood.” Read his full comment below.
This whole experience so far has been amazing. From the collaboration with our showrunners Todd [Helbing] and Brent [Fletcher] to the incredibly warm welcome I received from Tyler [Hoechlin] and Elizabeth [Tulloch] and the entire cast and crew. I cannot wait to share with the fans how much fun we’ve been having. Personally, I’ve always felt Lex was just misunderstood.
How Michael Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor Compares To Other Live-Action Versions
There’s an obvious difference between Cudlitz’s Lex Luthor and many other iterations of the Superman villain: his full beard. Although Cudlitz sports the shaved head typically associated with Lex Luthor, he trades in the clean-shaven face of the comics character for a longer, more scraggly beard. It’s not necessarily the first time a live-action Lex Luthor actor has had facial hair. Cryer had a short beard in his Arrowverse appearances and Titus Welliver had a longer beard while playing Lex Luthor on Titans, though his was more well-kept. While more recent Lex Luthor portrayals have included facial hair, Cudlitz’s beard differs from the comics as well as both Michael Rosenbaum’s character on Smallville and Jesse Eisenberg’s in Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Superman & Lois‘ version of the villain will also differ to Cryer’s Lex Luthor because he’s described as “a brutal psychopath.” Though Cudlitz’s character will still be the billionaire creator of LexCorp, he’ll be well known within the criminal underworld. His criminal side is perhaps teased somewhat by the hint of costume in the new image. His clothes appear to be either a dark, plain-colored prison jumpsuit over a white t-shirt, or other casual civilian clothes, which are a far cry from the expensive suits Lex Luthor typical wears in other adaptations.
The specifics of Cudlitz’s performance and more about how Superman & Lois‘ Lex Luthor differentiates from other iterations of the villain remain to be seen when he makes his debut later in season 3. As previously stated, it’s unclear what episode Lex Luthor may debut in. But once Superman & Lois season 3 premieres, more may be revealed about when Lex Luthor will show up and how he factors into the overarching story.
Source: Screenrant.com
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