Lex L Luthor

> ou were great in your day, Superman. But it just stands to reason. When it came time to cash in your chips, this old... diseased maniac would be your banker. Mind over muscle?
>
> **Lex Luthor**, Superman (Movie)

**Lex Luthor** is a curt and snarky criminal genius, whose world-threatening plans to get rich make him the greatest enemy of Superman.

## Appearances

### **Movie**

*Superman*
*Superman II*
*Superman IV: The Quest for Peace*
*Superman Returns*

### **Comic**

*Superman IV Movie Special*
*Superman Returns Prequel* #3
*Superman Returns Prequel* #4 (photograph)
*Superman - The Official-Movie Adaptation*

## Actors/Actresses

### **Portrayed by**

Gene Hackman (*I*–*IV*)
Kevin Spacey (*Returns*)

> This is Lex Luthor. Only one thing alive with less than four legs can hear this frequency, Superman, and that's you.
>
> Lex Luthor, Superman: The Movie

**Alexander "Lex" Luthor** is Superman's archenemy. / **Lex Luthor** is a curt and snarky criminal genius, whose world-threatening plans to get rich make him the greatest enemy of Superman. / **Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor** is a megalomaniacal billionaire who considers himself the greatest criminal mind of the twentieth century. He owns a large company called ***Lex Luthor Incorporated*** as a legitimate front to gather income.

Template:Superman-Pentalogy:Character

## Biography

### *Superman: The Movie*

> It's kryptonite, Superman. Little souvenir from the old home town. I spared no expense to make you feel right at home.
>
> Lex Luthor, Superman: The Movie

Luthor purchases vast expanses of western desert, with the intention of raising its value by wiping the state of ***California*** off the map. Naturally, Superman (played by Christopher Reeve) foils Luthor's plan and saves the day. Superman takes Luthor to prison, but it isn't long before the follically-challenged Luthor is free and plotting out his next scheme.

### *Superman II*

> LEX LUTHOR! Possibly you've heard the name? The Greatest Criminal Mind on Earth!
>
> Lex Luthor, Superman: The Movie

Luthor aligns himself with three evil Kryptonians, who, like himself, wish to take over the planet Earth (which they mistakenly refer to as the planet Houston). Luthor even succeeds in sweet-talking the Kryptonian commander, General Zod, into making him the ruler of Australia. Luthor's dreams of an empirical Outback are quickly shattered however, as Superman manages to rid Earth of the three Kryptonians and arrest Luthor once again.

### *Superman IV: The Quest for Peace*

> Nobody wants war. I just want to keep the threat alive.
>
> Lex Luthor, Superman: The Movie

Luthor is out of prison and seeking to destroy Superman by pitting him against his own solar-powered creation, Nuclear Man.

## Relationships

* Superman - His worst enemy.
* Otis - Henchman.
* Eve Teschmacher - Ally.
* General Zod - Ally.
* Lenny Luthor - Nephew.
* Nuclear Man - Ally and creation.

## Appearances/Actors

* Donnerverse (4 films)
	+ *Superman: The Movie* (First appearance) - Gene Hackman
	+ *Superman II* - Gene Hackman
	+ *Superman IV: The Quest for Peace* - Gene Hackman
	+ *Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut* - Gene Hackman

## Behind the Scenes

* Initially, Gene Hackman refused to cut off his mustache to play Lex Luthor. In early one-sheets of the movie, his face is featured with a mustache. Before Richard Donner and Hackman met face-to-face, Donner proposed to Hackman that if he would cut his mustache, Donner would cut his too, and Hackman agreed. It turned out later that Donner did not have a mustache at all. He wore a false moustache that he peeled off at the last moment.
* Gene Hackman flatly refused to shave his head or wear a "bald cap" to play Lex Luthor. To get around this issue, Hackman's own natural hair was styled differently from scene to scene to give the appearance of him having changed hairpieces. Numerous hairpieces are visible in his underground complex. Hackman relented and wore a skullcap in one scene, when he is taken to prison by Superman. It is visible when he angrily rips off his hairpiece to address the prison's warden, who questions who he is.
* For *Superman*, the filmmakers made it a priority to shoot all of Gene Hackman's scenes first, as he was one of the most in-demand actors, and was committed to other projects right afterward, the same was done for Marlon Brando.
* Gene Hackman was initially reluctant to take the part of Lex Luthor, as he felt it would have damaged his reputation as a serious actor.
* Paul Newman, Dustin Hoffman, Gene Wilder, George Kennedy and Jack Nicholson were all considered for the role of Lex before Hackman was cast.
* All of Lex's scenes featuring Hackman in *Superman II* were shot by Richard Donner, anything only in the theatrical cut was done by a look-a-like and a voice impersonator.

## History

### Abilities

* Template:Genius Level Intellect
	+ Template:Gadgetry
* Template:Deception

## Creators

* Jerry Siegel
* Joe Shuster

## Trivia

* In *Superman*, Lex is not fully seen until just over an hour into the film.
* The scene when Lex Luthor escapes from the prison yard is inspired by true events. Three I.R.A. prisoners escaped from Mountjoy prison, when a helicopter lifted them out of the yard.
* In an early draft of the script for *Superman*, one of Lex Luthor's personality quirks is that he likes to chew on Kleenex.
* Lex Luthor was portrayed by Gene Hackman in *Superman: The Movie*, *Superman II*, and *Superman IV: The Quest For Peace*. A body double was used for scenes filmed by Richard Lester when he was called to take over directorial roles in the filming of *Superman II*.

## Gallery

Lex Luthor Donnerverse bald.jpgLexluthor-themovie.jpgLex Luthor Gene Hackman.jpgLexHackman.jpgGene Hackman as Lex Luthor