Jump to content

Lex Luthor (1978 film series character)

From Alfawiki
Lex Luthor
OccupationSupervillain
Known forPortrayal by Gene Hackman in Warner Bros. Superman movies

Lex Luthor is a supervillain brought to life by American actor Gene Hackman in the Warner Bros. Superman movies, produced by Ilya and Alexander Salkind. This incarnation draws from the original DC Comics character Lex Luthor. The character of Luthor's girlfriend, Eve Teschmacher, created specifically for the films, was later integrated into the comics and other adaptations.

Development and execution

In 1974, producers Ilya and Alexander Salkind, alongside Pierre Spengler, secured the film rights to Superman. Their approach was to shoot Superman and Superman II concurrently, mirroring the production method used for The Three Musketeers and its sequel.

The casting process aimed to attract well-known actors. Names such as Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Burt Reynolds, and Sylvester Stallone were considered for Superman, but none accepted the role. Paul Newman was offered a $4 million deal to play either Superman, Jor-El, or Lex Luthor but turned down all options. The producers then shifted focus to casting Jor-El and Lex Luthor before finalizing Superman’s actor. Hoffman declined the role of Luthor when approached. Eventually, Marlon Brando was cast as Jor-El, which convinced Gene Hackman to take on Lex Luthor to act alongside Brando. Warner Bros., impressed by the high-profile cast, agreed to distribute the film worldwide.

After persistent efforts by casting director Lynn Stalmaster and discussions with director Richard Donner and producer Ilya Salkind, Christopher Reeve was cast as Superman. Reeve was given a 300-page script that treated the story with seriousness and traveled to London for a screen test, where he learned that Brando and Hackman were already attached.

Initially reluctant to shave his head or mustache for the role, Hackman made a deal with director Donner: if Hackman shaved his mustache, Donner would shave his own. Donner later wore a fake mustache, while Hackman kept his hair but altered his hairstyles during filming to simulate wearing wigs.

Donner began filming Superman II with plans to finish it after completing Superman. However, disagreements with executive producers resulted in Donner’s removal; Richard Lester replaced him as director. Following this change, Brando’s scenes were cut from Superman II, which underwent extensive reshoots.

Hackman had completed most of his scenes as Lex Luthor before leaving after Donner’s departure. To complete the remaining scenes without Hackman’s presence, Lester employed a stand-in (a Fake Shemp) who did not show his face and also mimicked Hackman’s voice.

For international releases of the Superman franchise, Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor was dubbed by Yuzuru Fujimoto in Japanese and Sergio Fiorentini in Italian.

Portrayal and characteristics

Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor represents a significant shift from his comic book counterpart by serving as Superman’s comedic adversary—critic Peter Sanderson described him as "a used car salesman wielding nuclear missiles." In this film series, Luthor’s main enterprise revolves around real estate speculation.

In the 2006 movie Superman Returns, Lex Luthor is portrayed by Kevin Spacey. Spacey’s version maintains a comedic tone but is more restrained and straightforward compared to Hackman's portrayal, exhibiting stronger personal hostility toward Superman. Due to Spacey’s acclaimed performance in The Usual Suspects (1995) and his collaboration with director Bryan Singer, he was chosen exclusively for the role, with the script tailored accordingly. Spacey’s Luthor shares Hackman's exaggerated vanity and real estate dealings but adopts a less flamboyant and more serious demeanor. Singer directed Spacey to embody a "darker and more bitter" version of the character rather than emulating Hackman's style.

Role within the franchise

When casting B.Z. for Santa Claus: The Movie, producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind aimed to find an actor with a presence matching that of Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor in Superman: The Movie. They initially approached Harrison Ford, who declined, followed by offers to Dustin Hoffman, Burt Reynolds, and Johnny Carson, all of whom refused the part. Eventually, John Lithgow was selected after Salkind viewed his role in Terms of Endearment and recognized his suitability for a "Grinch"-like character.

In the Ned's Newt episode titled "The Lucky Penny," Ned’s father unknowingly deposits Ned's cherished penny, featuring Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor, into a bank account. When the bank refuses to return it, Newton breaks into the vault, inadvertently putting $3.5 million at risk. A coin collector then reveals that Ned’s penny is one of only two in existence worldwide and valued at $3.5 million. The funds are recovered, and Ned receives the other rare penny.

The depiction of Lex Luthor in Superman: Brainiac Attacks reflects Gene Hackman’s more playful and lighthearted live-action portrayal rather than the cold, corporate villain seen in Superman: The Animated Series, injecting humor into the character.

Director Patty Jenkins of Wonder Woman 1984 credited Pedro Pascal's Maxwell Lord as drawing inspiration from Gordon Gekko in Wall Street and Hackman’s Lex Luthor from Richard Donner’s 1978 Superman, describing Lord as “a villain with potential to be dangerous and scary.”

Allison Mack valued that her character Chloe Sullivan was developed uniquely for Smallville, which helped avoid direct comparisons between Michael Rosenbaum's Lex Luthor and Gene Hackman's legendary portrayal.

Jon Cryer, who appeared as Lex’s nephew Lenny in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, later took on the role of Lex Luthor himself in the TV series Supergirl.

Superman (1978)

Lex Luthor made his first appearance in the 1978 film Superman: The Movie as a charming yet merciless entrepreneur motivated by greed and the need to demonstrate his intellect, showing little regard for the consequences of his actions. Although bald, he disguises this with various wigs. His schemes are frequently undermined by his bumbling assistant Otis and his conflicted girlfriend Eve Teschmacher. Luthor plots to induce an earthquake by redirecting a nuclear missile toward the San Andreas Fault, aiming to flood California and thereby inflate real estate prices in adjacent states.

He identifies a meteorite originating from Addis Ababa as radioactive Kryptonite from the destroyed planet Krypton. Using Kryptonite, he nearly succeeds in killing Superman, but Superman escapes with assistance from Teschmacher. One missile is aimed at Hackensack, New Jersey. Teschmacher intervenes after securing a promise from Superman to rescue her mother there. Following Superman’s repair of the San Andreas Fault damage, he captures Luthor and Otis; Luthor reveals his identity to prison guards by removing his wig.

Superman II (1980)

In Superman II, Lex Luthor assumes a secondary yet pivotal role. With assistance from Teschmacher, he breaks out of incarceration but abandons Otis during the escape. At the Fortress of Solitude, he discovers the presence of Kryptonian fugitives General Zod, Ursa, and Non, and forms an alliance with them, aiming to seize control over Australian territories once Earth is subdued. During the film’s climax, Luthor deceives Superman into unveiling a chamber designed to disable Kryptonian abilities through artificial red solar radiation.

Superman, anticipating treachery, cleverly reverses the chamber’s function. When Zod forces Superman inside, the red sun rays incapacitate Zod and his cohorts while Superman remains unharmed. Consequently, Luthor is returned to prison. In Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut, Superman halts Earth's rotation to thwart Luthor’s escape and ensures that Zod and his associates remain confined within the Phantom Zone.

The movie features an elder Kryptonian reciting Joyce Kilmer's poem "Trees," showcasing Earth's literary culture; Luthor responds with derision.

Producers Alexander and Ilya Salkind released an extended television version reintroducing 24 minutes of previously unused footage—mostly directed by Richard Donner—offering a glimpse into the original creative intent. ABC aired 17 minutes of this footage during its 1984 network premiere, with later broadcasts shortened for commercial breaks. The complete 146-minute extended edition was shown internationally.

This additional footage presents an alternate conclusion: instead of implying Superman kills the Kryptonian antagonists—which conflicts with his moral code—it depicts their capture by a U.S. "polar patrol" alongside Luthor, followed by Superman destroying the Fortress of Solitude with Lois at his side.

Superman III (1983)

Gene Hackman and Margot Kidder reportedly harbored resentment toward the Salkinds for their handling of director Richard Donner, leading Hackman to decline reprising Lex Luthor. After Kidder openly criticized the producers, her screen time in Superman III was considerably reduced; however, producer Ilya Salkind denied any punitive measures, attributing the change to a creative direction emphasizing Lana Lang rather than Lois Lane. Hackman cited other acting commitments for his absence but returned as Luthor in Superman IV, which was produced without Salkind involvement.

In terms of billing, Christopher Reeve received top billing in Superman III due to the absence of Marlon Brando and Hackman. Upon Hackman’s return in Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, he was billed second after Reeve.

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

Lex Luthor escapes incarceration with help from his nephew Lenny (Jon Cryer) and collaborates with war profiteers opposing Superman's campaign for nuclear disarmament. Luthor engineers a hybrid clone named Nuclear Man by combining his own DNA with strands of Superman’s hair. Nuclear Man’s strength relies on direct sunlight, a vulnerability that Superman exploits to defeat him.

Following this, Superman captures both Lex and Lenny, delivering Lenny to Boys Town and returning Lex to prison. Superman warns Lex that they will confront each other again in 20 years, indicating an ongoing rivalry within the franchise.

Superman Returns (2006)

Set several years after the events of Superman II and disregarding Superman III and IV, Superman Returns features Lex Luthor (played by Kevin Spacey), who has recently been released on parole and is bent on exacting revenge against Superman (Brandon Routh). Luthor funds his plans by exploiting wealthy patron Gertrude Vanderworth (Noel Neill) and receives assistance from heiress Kitty Kowalski (Parker Posey). His plot centers on utilizing Kryptonian crystals to generate a new landmass under his control, which would submerge the United States and diminish Superman’s powers through the embedded Kryptonite.

During Superman’s weakened state, Luthor’s operatives attack him, stabbing him with Kryptonite. Believed to have perished after plunging into the Atlantic Ocean, Superman eventually recovers with aid from Lois Lane and Richard White, then propels the artificial continent into outer space. Luthor escapes via helicopter but ends up stranded on a remote island alongside Kitty Kowalski when their fuel supply is depleted.

Superman '78

Following the timeline shortly after Superman II, Metropolis suffers an assault by an extraterrestrial robot. Superman destroys the threat and delivers its head to the recently paroled Lex Luthor for examination. Lex reveals he had installed a tracking device on Superman prior to Brainiac’s abduction of him, enabling Lois Lane to communicate with Superman through Lex’s transmitter.

Lex intended to stimulate Brainiac’s intellect but inadvertently triggers Brainiac’s decision to miniaturize Metropolis for preservation purposes. As Brainiac prepares to excise the city, Lex escapes in a hot air balloon.

Reception

Gene Hackman earned acclaim for his portrayal of Lex Luthor in Superman: The Movie (1978), skillfully balancing humor and menace, which garnered him a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role nomination. Despite losing to John Hurt for Midnight Express, Hackman’s performance remains highly regarded.

Film critic James Berardinelli offered positive reviews for Superman Returns, drawing favorable comparisons to Richard Donner's 1978 original. He described Kevin Spacey’s interpretation of Lex Luthor as "more ruthless and less playful" than Hackman’s version and praised the film's strong supporting cast. Berardinelli regarded Superman Returns as a superior superhero movie that effectively combines romance, action, comedy, and emotional depth.

See also

References


External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Lex_Luthor_(1978_film_series_character)&oldid=53862"