Michael Rosenbaum Asked James Gunn about Lex Luthor Role: “Why Am I Not in Superman”

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Michael Rosenbaum Gives Update on ‘Smallville Sequel Series All I Could Share Is That Its a Great Idea
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Lex Luthor is one of the most popular Superman villains and one of the most menacing, so it doesn’t surprise us that he has been adapted numerous times both in animation and in live-action, having almost as many actors as the Man of Steel.

Upcoming Gunn’s Superman reboot has already cast Nicholas Hoult in the role of Lex Luthor, something that surprised fans considering that the director is good friends with Michael Rosenbaum, one of the best live-action Lex Luthors in existence.

At a recent Nashville Comicon 2024 panel speaking for ComicBook Rosenbaum revealed that he did in fact ask Gunn why he wasn’t in the upcoming movie, why he wasn’t included at all, but the actor seemingly has no hard feelings about it:

I’m always up for a challenge. I’m always up for fun. Whatever comes to me, I look at it, and if it’s not too silly, or if it makes me laugh, or I think I could do a really good job or I think I can make an impression, I’ll do it. So I’m at that point in my career where I just want to do things that I love, that I want to do. I asked him, ‘Why am I not in Superman ? Why am I not in the movie somehow?’ It was fine, though. I wish him all the happiness. He deserves all the success he has. He’s enormously talented. When it’s the right thing, he’ll ask me. Or he won’t. And that’s aside from friendship. When your friends go off and do big things, you say, ‘Hey, they know I’m here. They know my number.’ And you just hope for the best.

It made sense to go with the younger actor for Luthor considering that Gunn decided to recast Cavill and go with a younger version of Superman as well. Besides, Rosenbaum is working on the Smallville sequel which he also recently confirmed to be in development:

All I could share is that it’s a great idea. We have Al and Miles, the creators of Smallville backing us up. When it’s the right time, we’d like to go and do this; pitch to Warner Bros. It has to be the right time, and right now is not the right time. We had the strike, we had a change of executives at DC — one being one of my best friends in the world, James Gunn.

Wouldn’t it be great to have Rosenbaum as Luthor once again? Let us know in the comments below!

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Valentina Kraljik is a writer and editor at Comic Basics with a passion for all things related to comics and their respective cinematic universes. Armed with a degree in Information Sciences, she brings a unique and informed perspective to her work. Valentina is renowned for her writing on a wide range of comic book heroes and their respective universes. She has a talent for uncovering obscure information related to even the most elusive superheroes. Her love for the genre was first sparked by "X-Men" and "Blade," the latter of which remains her all-time favorite superhero. While her expertise primarily lies within the realm of Marvel, she occasionally ventures into DC territory as well. Valentina's commitment to objectivity and insightful analysis shines through in her writing. She strives to bring fresh perspectives to even the most familiar subjects, and her blend of academic rigor and creative flair sets her apart in the world of media writing.

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